Silver Rain, Crimson Snow
by FarewellfromFaith
Summary: Long ago, before the Black Order existed, the Innocence users did something to the Noah that turned them against humanity and began their killing spree. Seven thousand years later, Allen and his team are searching for the same Innocence shard as the Noah, and someone literally falls into their conversation. They quickly figure out she isn't quite human...
1. Prologue

_**...Prologue...**_

I never expected my life to go in the direction it did on that fateful day. The day I fell off a cliff and into a fight to the death between five supposed priests and two super-humans... but more on that later.

I guess you could say my childhood was fairly normal, or as normal as it can be, when, technically, you don't exist. You see, I am only half human. What is my other half, you ask? My question for you is, have you ever heard of the Fae? You know, faeries, elves, trolls, nymphs, and so forth? The old stories the Gaelic and Celtic people told their children at night to scare them into behaving? Oh, you have! Well, they're all real. And I do mean, _all _of them.

Anyway, my people spent half our time hiding from humans, and the other half playing tricks on them and each other. But, don't misunderstand, we don't hate them or want to kill them, far from it. Most of us, anyway...

Back to the landing on people part. You see, I was never one for running on the edge of cliffs, but that day, I was running for my life from the very beings I was sworn to protect the secrets of with my life, and then, everything changed.

* * *

**Thank you for clicking on _Silver Rain, Crimson Snow_! Please read on to meet the main characters, and leave a review to tell me what you think!  
**

**Disclaimer (this applies to all chapters): I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I claim to own it's characters. I only own the plotline and my OC.**


	2. First Encounters

_**...Chapter One: First Encounters...**_

My breath got heavier, the sound of my pulse raging in my head; I vaguely heard feet pounding the earth behind me as I ran. In my mind, I kept repeating the words, _Don't stop. Keep running. Never look back, _over and over, like a prayer, the only thing keeping me going. I knew, if I stopped, if they caught me, I would be executed on the spot. My baggy clothes snagged on low hanging branches and bushes again and again, but I didn't care. My hair repeatedly whipped me in the face from the wind. The forest I was sprinting through was dark and cold, and I shivered as the wind bit through me to the bone. Absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't notice the edge of a cliff drawing nearer and nearer, and the sounds of a heated argument coming from below it. Suddenly, my black boot slipped over the edge, and I felt open air beneath me.

* * *

**_Three days ago_**

Allen would always regret agreeing to go on a mission with Kanda. Honestly, he just never listened. And now Lenalee, Lavi, and Bookman had decided to tag along. And that never went well. Lenalee was trying to get Kanda to coöperate( you can imagine how well that would turn out), Lavi was staring at her and any girl passing by in the windy weather, and Bookman was hitting him with his scrolls.

"Lenalee, shouldn't we just get to the boat? Komui will kill all of us if we are late in getting the Innocence again and the Noah get to it first. Well, all of us except you..." Allen said to the female Exorcist over the sound of the wind.

"Why would you care if the Noah get there first, aren't you one of them, Moyashi?!" Kanda shouted at the younger.

"Shut it, Ba-Kanda! How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not working with them!? I didn't even know about the 14th until recently, didn't I!?"

"Hey, guys, calm down, alright? Maybe we should get goin-"

"Shut up, Baka Usagi!" Allen and Kanda said in unison. Lenalee and Bookman just stared at the three, at a loss for words. They hadn't had an argument this bad for a while.

"Should we stop them?" Lenalee asked.

"No, just leave them be. If they don't get it out of their systems now, they will be like this the entire journey to Romania." Figuring Bookman knew what he was talking about, she contented herself with re-checking the grocery bags. For the third time. Allen had sneaked little bits of food while they waited at the cold harbor and half of their groceries were now gone. The clouds above them looked ominous, like it would be raining soon. The three male Exorcists were still arguing like an old married couple... and their crotchety neighbor. Shaking her head and standing, the young woman started down towards their needed dock.

"Guys, the ship is scheduled to be here any minute, let's go!" Lenalee shouted over her shoulder as she ran down the docks. She nearly ran into a deckhand, and skidded to a stop at the tallest ship at the port. And there it was, the _Siren's_ _Song._ The group of Exorcists froze in front of the towering hull, reaching far above their heads.

"Woah, that's the largest ship I have ever seen!" Lavi exclaimed in wonder.

"Well, it is meant to travel around the world without stopping for supplies." Bookman explained to his young apprentice, his voice deadpan.

"Let's just get on and find our cabins!" Kanda growled. He'd been in a nasty mood since he had been told he had no choice but to go on this mission.

"Aww, c'mon, Yuu, what if we want to explore the decks?"

"Don't call me that!"

Allen rolled his eyes, suddenly glad he had brought a deck of cards with him. Maybe he could trick some of the other passengers into playing a few rounds of poker with him...

* * *

"I still don't understand why we have to take a boat to get to Romania when we can just use one of your doors." Tyki complained, completely exhausted and just wanting to finish his new book.

"Because I said so! And this way you can get away from your brother for a while longer~," Road sang. Tyki had to admit she had a good point. "And besides, the _Siren's Song_ is the best ship in this part of the world, and I've heard it has a full library on-board~." Dammit, she had him.

"Well, let's get this thing over with." Tyki grumbled, stalking off down the pier.

* * *

**_Three days later_**

"Ugh, I am never taking a boat anywhere again." Allen groaned, leaning over the rail on the second-class deck. After the long boat ride, a brief stop in Istanbul, and another, shorter boat ride, they were finally in Romania. The first ride had been smooth and clear, with bright sunlight, wind blowing in just the direction they needed, and even dolphins following on the starboard bow. But the second, on the other hand... Horrible rain, constant wind, and choppy waves that rocked the boat all through the night. After docking, and more than a little retching over the side, they were finally on solid ground. They were now in the coastal town of Sulina, and the sun was just coming over the horizon.

"Well, let's get a move on. We need to be in Bistrita by nightfall!" Lavi yelled as they got their bags together. Kanda glared at his retreating back. This was going to be a long walk.

* * *

Tyki was now thoroughly pissed. Road had not stayed quiet the entire three-day trip and he hadn't gotten a single page farther in his book. Now he just wanted to find this stupid piece of Innocence and go home, even if he had to deal with Sheril. He leaned lazily against the rail of the first-class deck mulling it over until a bright flash of silver caught his eye. He slapped the rail happily.

His perverted older brother was the least of his worries now, because as he was absorbed in his thoughts, he caught sight of a very distinctive head of white hair walking away from where he was standing on the top deck of the smaller, much less comfortable ship that they had boarded in Istanbul.

_Wait, that can't be Allen. But, is it? I can't tell with him facing away from me. Come on, turn around... there! So it is him! Won't Road be thrilled? _Tyki thought. "Hey, Road!" he said aloud. "Guess who I just saw walking down the pier?"

* * *

"Can we please stop here? We've walked for almost 13 hours straight! We only had a short break for lunch, and that was five hours ago. It's getting dark now!" As it was highly unusual to hear Lenalee, the most levelheaded and calm of their group, complain, the male members of the team gladly complied. Allen especially, as his stomach was making noises similar to an animal being slaughtered.

"Let's stop there! That cliff should give us some cover from the wind." Looking up, Allen saw that the cliff they were camping under went almost straight up for almost one hundred and fifty feet, except were it curved in slightly near the bottom. _Man, it would really hurt to fall from that. _"Come on, let's get out the food and blankets and rest here a while." Allen was shocked that all the members of their team nodded their consent, even Kanda, albeit more grudgingly then the rest. They pulled out three small, worn blankets, set them down close to each other, and had a modest dinner of bread, cold ham, and water from a stream Bookman had seen on the way through the woods. Most of their food had been eaten during the trip, and they would need to stop for supplies before going home. As they sat, talking and eating, the weather shifted imperceptibly, becoming colder and getting ready to snow. Allen felt a chill go almost to the bone, and shivered as the November wind seemed to arc down from the cliff. He looked up, confused, and then jumped as the bushes rustled in front of them in the direction they had just come from.

"Well, well, look who it is! And here I was, thinking I was going crazy seeing you on the docks, when we didn't run into each other a single time on the ship. Tell me, where were you hiding?" a familiar, deep voice said, followed by a tall form slowly walking out of the shade of the trees. As the figure came closer, another, smaller figure appeared next to it. When they came into the light of the setting sun, the Exorcists immediately jumped up, already calling on their Innocence for battle. Walking toward them was Tyki Mikk and Road Kamelot. Road was giving Allen a possessive look.

"What do you mean, how didn't we run into each other on the ship? You mean you were there the entire trip from England?" Allen said, already angry with himself for not sensing them earlier.

"Well, yes." The Noah tipped his head to the side, taunting the youngest Exorcist, "Oh, don't get upset, we didn't notice either, until I saw you on the docks. Now, how would you like us to kill you?" He raised his hand as Dark Matter started to flicker between his gloved fingers.

"I don't think so! Innocence, ACTIVATE!" Suddenly, they all heard rocks rolling down the side of the cliff directly above them, and looked up shocked. They then heard a short, female scream, and a figure dressed in all black landed on top of Lavi, who had eaten too much sugar and was bouncing on his heels, and a very annoyed Kanda.

* * *

**Well, what do you all think of my first story? Feel free to tell me if you want to see more characters, I'm open to criticism!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	3. Internal Conflict

_**...Chapter Two: Internal Conflict...**_

_What the hell was that? _Tyki thought. He looked up the cliff face just in time to see a black shape fall, and then land on two of the Exorcists. _Why that Asian swordsman of all people? And that rabbit looking one with the hammer? _There was a solid sounding thump, and both Exorcists groaned in pain.

"Owww..." moaned a female voice. _Wait, who was that? It couldn't be the person who just fell, no one could have survived that! _

"Would you idiots get over here and help me!?" Kanda growled at the others, who jumped at the sound of his voice. Allen, Lenalee, and Bookman went to where the two were currently being crushed in a pile of limbs. On top of them, all they could see was a mass of tangled, black and white hair, and a pair of black riding boots that had seen better days. Based on the scream, groan, and hair, they guessed this new object of conversation was female.

"Hey girl, you alright?" Allen asked hesitantly.

"I think so. Can you help me stand, though?" a heavily accented, and clearly female, voice answered. Allen then saw a slim, manicured hand reach up from the tangle of appendages. He grabbed it and pulled, and the girl worked herself loose. When she had succeeded, and was on her own two feet, Allen stared in shock. She was tall, taller than him, making her at least 5'9", and thin, too thin; even though she was wearing a baggy, black sweater, one sleeve was slipping off her shoulder, revealing a deep indent where her collarbone was. She had several piercings in both ears, several silver studs, and two connecting chains on her right ear, silver studs and a thin sliver bar on a chain on the left, and one on the left side of her nose.

Then, after she brushed her hair out of her eyes, he got a clear view of her face. High, defined cheekbones, a long, thin nose, full lips, perfectly arched eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes, all framed by blue-black hair with two silver streaks that made her bangs. He could also see her hair was very long; even tangled, it still went past her knees. But then, he got a good look at her eyes. They were a deep violet, with pale blue around the irises, which were slitted, like a cat's. Whatever this girl was, she wasn't human. But she wasn't an Akuma... But still, with all this he got the distinct impression he had known her for years.

"What is taking you so long over there?" Tyki called, exasperated. He and Road, who had been oddly silent this whole time, strode to where Allen was standing, still holding this strange girl's hand, and Kanda and Lavi were painfully pulling themselves off the ground. When the Noah finally could see the girl who took an impromptu flying lesson, they had a similar reaction to Allen; when they saw her clearly, they immediately felt that they had known her for many, many years, though they couldn't remember seeing her before today.

Allen and the girl were still having a staring contest, until the girl glanced down, her feline eyes confused about why this young man, whom she had just met, was holding her hand like an old friend. "Ummm..." she mumbled.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" Allen said, after catching her look. He let her hand fall.

The Noah were done with being ignored. Road glared slightly, then plastered a fake, sugary sweet smile on her face. She lightly bounced over to Allen and the newcomer, causing her to back up slightly, "I like your ear piercings! Did any of them hurt? And what's your name?"

The girls strange eyes shifted to the Noah. "Um, my name is Rhiannon. Might I ask who you are?" Her heavily accented voice could not be more polite. Now they were all very confused. Here was a girl who acted as if she been raised in a rich household, who was running around the forest in baggy, worn clothes (and pants of all things), and had also crash landed on two Exorcists after falling off a hundred and fifty foot cliff, and she was trying to strike up a conversation like nothing had happened. She wasn't even afraid of the Noah, or Kanda, who had been glaring at her, and was slowly drawing his sword.

_This girl clearly has no sense of fear. Why do I recognize her, when I would have remembered meeting her before today? A face like that is hard to forget. What is going on here? _Tyki's inner monologue was getting longer and longer. _And why do I feel so attracted to her, and like something is tugging me to her? Who is this girl, this Rhiannon? _So many questions were running together in his brain. "You aren't human." It wasn't a question.

"Neither are you," she stated, matter-of-factually.

* * *

Now I was just bewildered. I had just fallen down an almost sheer cliff, which wasn't high enough to hurt me much, though landing on two of these strange people still stung. One of them, the redhead, kept staring at me, _Well, he has no shame;_ the other, who looked Japanese, was glowering, and his gaze shifted from me to the two standing closest to the trees, who both had skin an odd shade of umber and gold eyes. It was obvious to me that they weren't entirely human. One was a tall man, wearing a trench coat with hair to his mid-back, the other was a small girl, wearing a white dress that seemed to stick almost straight out, who appeared to be in her early teens, but you can never tell with inhuman creatures. When I saw the man's face up close, something in the back of my mind whispered _Joido, Joido, it's Joido, at last..._

_ Wait, what the hell was that? _I saw a spark of recognition in their eyes, the same I had seen in the silver-haired teen's.

"I have told you my name, now may I please know yours?" I asked calmly, though to be honest, I was freaking out. I knew that the Fae I was running from would find me soon. I couldn't risk these innocent people getting hurt, and whatever had whispered in the back of my mind had _not_ been my voice. I had never met them before, and yet I recognized three of them, and knew I had to protect them.

"Oh, I apologize. I am the Bookman, this is my apprentice Lavi, the man standing next to him is Kanda. The young woman next to me is Lenalee, and the young man who helped you is Allen Walker. I believe the Noah would rather introduce themselves," said a man I hadn't noticed before. He was short, and had black marks around his eyes. _Looks like makeup. _

"I am Road Kamelot, and this is Tyki Mikk. How did you know we aren't normal humans, and how much do you know?" The girl in the white dress asked threateningly, shattering the sweet little girl image she had tried to convince me with just moments before.

"Lucky guess." She looked confused, so I pointed to my eyes. Road (another name I heard in the back of my mind) looked appeased. _Tyki, huh? So where did the name Joido come from? _

"So, where you from, gorgeous? That's an interesting accent you have there." I turned to glare at the redhead, who had been introduced as Lavi. I noticed Tyki gave him an odd look, too.

"Why should I tell you anything, when I know absolutely nothing about you?" I didn't want to tell him my accent was a mix of Romanian and Irish, as I had spent my childhood going back and forth to the two countries, switching languages as I did so. I also didn't want to tell him my age, 19 almost 20, because, based on how old he looked and the glances he kept giving me, he would start flirting relentlessly, and I worried what the others would do if I hit him upside the head with an iron skillet. Where I would get said iron skillet was not the first thing on my mind at the moment, as I could hear several people running, getting closer and closer by the second. "Look, I really should be going now, um, just keep doing... whatever it was you were doing before I crash landed into your conversta-"

I broke off my words when I felt a large amount of magic energy crackling through the air, coming straight at where we were standing. I knew if any of the normal humans were hit with it, it could kill them immediately, and the Noah could be severely injured. Without thinking, I turned, raised my hand, and deflected it with my own spell. I caught it just in time, as Allen was still standing next to me, but then saw the astonished looks each one of them was giving me, and knew I had blown my cover as a small town girl who had been lost in the woods. _Damn it all, how did they find me so quickly?_

* * *

**So, what do you all think of how the story is going? Is there a character you want to see or hear more from? Do you think they are OOC? Please let me know, I won't take offense!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	4. Invoke the Stars

_**...Chapter Three: Invoke the Stars...**_

After successfully deflecting the spell, it soared back in the direction it had come. When it reached the tree line, it simply dissipated. _That was definitely meant for a human, or it would have leveled those trees. Now, who is following me this time?_

"I know you are there! Come out into the open, and fight with honor!" I shouted. No response.

"Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil tú ann! Tar amach ar an oscailt, agus troid le onóir!" After I repeated my statement in Irish, I got the response I was hoping for. Seven higher level, noble Dark Fae walked out of the trees, followed by several lower level monster type Fae and four hell-hounds. And I do mean, _out _of the trees. They materialized out of the trunks of the ancient pines surrounding the large clearing.

_It just had to be hell-hounds. Why is it always hell-hounds?_

* * *

_Just what the hell is this girl? First knowing Exorcist from Noah, now magic powers and speaking in different languages? What could possibly be next? _Tyki just really wanted this day to be over. The girl, Rhiannon, was now facing away from them, feet squared and fists clenched, her expression blank, looking at the people who had literally just walked out of the freaking _trees, _and all had green hair that looked like grass and leaves, and glowing yellow eyes with no pupils. All wore strange garments that looked to be made of beaten tree bark. They were surrounded by what looked like wolves that had been slashed to bits, killed, buried, then dug up and brought back to life. It was clear she was ready to fight them, but how could she fight them alone?

"Vasya Vanya, et surge, et fulgeant, ut accendantur semper ad caelum." _Wait, was that Latin? This day just gets better and better._

* * *

I knew it would be difficult to fight the nobles on my own, so I called in a little help "_Vasya Vanya, et surge, et fulgeant, ut accendantur semper ad caelum_" _Vasya and Vanya, arise and shine forth, to burn the skies. _

_Please, oh please, help me save these people. I don't know why, but I don't want any of them to be hurt. _This fight would take all of my remaining strength; I had been on the run too long. My arms and legs were covered in deep cuts and scratches, my back bruised from being hit with a mace (don't ask), and I hadn't slept in days. To fight these tree spirits, I would have to call on the twin swords, the Sisters From the Stars. They had been handed down through my family, the Dragomir's, for centuries, and only answered to the leader of the clan.

**_How may we serve you, Lady Dragomir?_** I heard their voices combine in my mind.

_Can you aid me in defeating those Dark Fae?_

_**Of course, but it will cost you later. **_

_It always does. _After this thought, the long-swords appeared in my hands, one pure silver, the other black as night.

* * *

_This girl can't seriously be thinking of fighting those men alone, that would be insane! _Allen thought. _We have to help her, we can worry about the Noah later! _He voiced his last thought to the others in his team, who all agreed. The Noah looked insulted. "We can still hear you, you know!" Tyki yelled. "And what if we want to help her as well?"

"Why would a Noah want to help anyone but themselves?" Kanda growled.

"No, all of you stay back! This is my fight!" Rhiannon shouted, turning to see them over her shoulder.

"Are you insane, girl?! There's no way we're just gonna stand back from this!" Kanda shouted back, aggravated by her seeming lack of faith in them. If only he knew the truth.

"You don't understand, these people are much more powerful than you think!" she pleaded.

"Shut up, woman! We're fighting them, and nothing you say can stop us!"

* * *

_Did he just call me woman? _

_**It would seem so, Lady.** _

Now I was furious. No one had ever dared to call me that, or defied an order from me. _I really need to get out more._

While all this was happening, the Dark Fae were inching closer and closer, hoping no one had noticed. When they were fifty feet away, I turned and swung Vanya, the black sword in my right hand, and sent a fire spell in their direction, vaporizing half of the monsters and one of the hell-hounds. The leader glared and shouted, "Ionsaí! Taispeáin aon trócaire!" (Attack! Show no mercy!), and charged. The others followed, raising their weapons, seven foot spears, and ran straight toward Allen and his comrades, and Tyki and Road. _Damn! Why not me? _

"Cén fáth a bhfuil tú ag ionsaí orthu? Tá sé dom ba mhaith leat!" (Why are you attacking them? It's me you want!) When I said this, they turned in my direction, and Kanda jumped one of them, pulling him into battle. Allen changed his left arm into a sword (now there's something you don't see everyday), and charged the last of the hell-hounds. Lenalee's boots changed shape, but no other weapons appeared. _She must be a martial artist. _She then attacked one of the Fae. Bookman unfurled his scroll that had been resting across his back, which revealed a multitude of needles, and sent them soaring towards the remainder of the monsters. Lavi unhooked a small hammer from his thigh- _how will that help?- _and yelled, "Big hammer, little hammer, grow, grow, GROW!" and it increased in size to be twelve feet tall. _Oh. So that's how. _He then said, "Innocence level 2, release! Fire stamp: Hellfire and Ash!" and slammed the hammer to the ground, creating a serpent of fire, which destroyed two of the Fae. _Huh. Impressive._

Tyki and Road both smiled in the most sadistic way possible and their forms flickered with black energy. Road was then surrounded by dozens of floating candles, which she sent soaring at one of the last Fae, and Tyki released several black butterflies from his arm, which ate through the skin of one of the last two, who then ran screaming into the trees, and disappeared. All in all, it took about three minutes, and only one Dark Fae was left.

_Alright, ladies, now it's our turn._

**_We are at your command, Lady Dragomir._**

* * *

"I know that you want to help, but I must be the one to fight the last one. He is the leader." _This girl is out of her mind. _Tyki thought. _She looks like she hasn't slept or ate in days, and is looking worse by the minute, and she wants to fight that guy? _

"Please stay back. Let me do this on my own." She then launched herself at the last of the green-haired men, and proceeded to engage in battle with him. _She has skill with a sword._ They matched each other blow for blow, and when he would lash out with his spear she would block and retaliate with the other sword. As she fought, she got closer and closer to the man, eventually breaking his spear in half. The halves of the spear changed into broken tree limbs, and then dissolved in a black mist.

"Cé hé do mháistir, agus cad é do na críche sin anseo*?" She asked him.

"Más rud é nach bhfuil a fhios agat go bhfuil, ná go bhfuil tú chomh maith marbh, agus mar sin go bhfuil do chairde beag seasamh taobh thiar duit*." She glared, then ran him through. When she pulled the silver blade out, his body dissolved the same way the spear did. When he was completely gone, his companions' bodies did the same.

"Et Vasya Vanya, ut luceat lux est in via*." Rhiannon said, and her swords glowed, the light centering around her wrists, then disappeared. To where, Tyki had no idea.

"Alright girl, you owe us an explanation. What are you, and who were they?" Tyki said. Rhiannon shifted her eyes to him, a look of unfathomable sadness in them.

"How much time do you have?"

* * *

**Alright, another chapter done! Next, you get to find out more about Rhia, and why she was running off cliffs. Which Noah do you want to appear next?**

***1) Who is your master, and what is your purpose here?**

***2) If you do not know that, than you are already dead, and so are your little friends standing behind you.**

***3) Vasya and Vanya, light the way.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	5. True Nature

_**...Chapter Four: True Nature...**_

"You've got ten minutes girl, and if your answer seems like a lie, I'll kill you myself!" Kanda grabbed the young woman by the wrist and pulled her to stand nose-to-nose with him.

"Kanda, shut up, man. So, what's your sign, sweetheart?" Lavi asked, leaned against a boulder. Kanda easily pushed Lavi to the ground.

"Enough with your constant flirting, Baka Usagi!" He unsheathed Mugen and pointed it at Rhiannon, three inches from her face. "Tell us who and what you really are, or lose your nose."

Tyki saw the look of pure terror on her face, and caught her eye. When she saw the (hopefully) reassuring look he gave her, she seemed to relax.

"Let's not get hasty." He walked to where Rhiannon was standing, stepped around Kanda, and grabbed her hand. When he did, a pleasant warmth traveled it's way up his arm. Ignoring it, he pulled her to a small outcropping of rocks, where they both sat down. He released her hand, although he didn't want to, and asked, "Now, can you please tell us more about you?"

* * *

"Well, you already know my first name, and that I'm not human, what more do you want to know?" I didn't want to talk with Kanda, Lavi, Bookman, and Lenalee here, but it looks like I don't have much of a choice.

_Please don't ask_\- "Your full name, age, and where you're from to start." _Damn. It just had to be_ _that_. I rolled my eyes and sighed dramatically._  
_

"My full name is Rhiannon Caterina Camellia Nicola Alexandria Ambrosia Pietrovitch-Dragomir, though most people call me Rhia." The others all blinked in shock. _My name always gets that reaction... _"I am 19 years old, and will be 20 in June. My family is a mix of Irish, Scottish, Russian, and Romanian, and I have spent my childhood traveling around the different countries, never staying in one place for long."

"So, what language were you speaking earlier?" Lenalee spoke up.

"Is that really important right now?! What the fuck are you, and what were those guys earlier? How did they disappear after they died?!" Kanda yelled.

_Well, he has a mouth on him._ I turned and raised an eyebrow at the swordsman, "I do not think you will believe me if I told you."

"Get off your high horse and tell us!" Allen now stood to physically hold him back.

"Uh, I apologize for his behavior. Can you please tell us what you are, if you aren't human?" Allen asked politely. _Those two are polar opposites. No wonder they don't get along well. _

I sighed to myself, but Tyki heard me, and glanced my way, even though we were seated less than five feet from each other. This was the question I had been dreading.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But if anyone finds out about this, I will be executed..."

* * *

_She has a flare for the dramatic. _Tyki thought. He looked down to where her hand rested, a few inches from his, wanting to hold it again. But not in front of the Exorcists. Road was giving him a knowing look, like she knew his thoughts. _Little brat. She's never going to let this die. _Rhiannon looked him in the eyes again, like she was searching for reassurance, then sighed again, looking defeated.

"What do any of you know of the Fae?" She was studying her feet, not meeting anyone's eye.

Allen looked shocked, Kanda snorted, Lavi and Lenalee looked confused, and the Bookman looked like he had just gotten the answer to the meaning of life.

"The Fae? They're just a myth, bedtime stories to scare small children. Do you honestly expect us to believe they exist?" Kanda growled.

"Wait, Kanda. That would explain a lot. I mean, how else could those people have walked out of the trees?" Allen said, nodding like everything made sense now.

"Allen's right. Those men were Fae, pretty young ones by the looks of them. But... so am I." _That explains the eyes. Can't think of any other way for her to have them, unless she was cursed. _

"Do you really think we'll believe any of that shit?! Tell us the truth!"

"I did! If you don't want to believe it, that's your problem. Now if you would excuse me, I have somewhere to be!" Rhiannon snapped. She stood up and started to walk into the tree line. Tyki was about to follow her when a message from the Earl went through his head. He and Road were to come home immediately.

"Well, this has been interesting, but we must be going. Until next time, Allen~." Road sang to the Exorcists. They then walked backwards through an Ark door, which materialized where Rhiannon had been sitting and promptly shattered after they disappeared.

"I'm going after her. Kanda, don't say anything to her, you've upset her enough." Allen then sprinted into the woods, in the same direction as Rhiannon. The moon was rising behind the clouds, and snow started to drift down, creating an eerie scene. He ran for ten minutes before he saw her walking away, shivering in her thin sweater and torn pants.

"Rhiannon, wait!" She turned and saw Allen, and seemed about to turn around and run, then thought better of it. Allen sprinted up to her, and, after catching his breath, asked, "Will you come with us, to the Black Order?"

"Black Order? What's that?" Her eyebrows scrunched together.

"I can explain on the way there, but first let's get you some warm food and dry clothes. What do you say?" Allen pleaded.

She looked deep in thought, and rocked back on her heels, then said, "Alright. But you owe me a good chicken soup." Sarcasm was audible in her tone.

Allen laughed, and nodded in agreement. "Then let's wait for the others, then we'll head back to town and find an Inn."

* * *

**I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but guess who shows up next? The twins, Sheril, and the Earl! So, why do you think Rhia knows Allen, Road, and Tyki, and who do you want to see more of? By the way, this takes place right after the Black Order moves to England, so for the sake of the story, let's say everything that happens after that never happens, and all the Noah have awakened. The story is set in the 1850's.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	6. Dark Descendants

**_...Chapter Five: Dark Descendants..._ **

After waiting for the others, and walking for roughly another twenty minutes, the Exorcists and Rhia were finally at an Inn and out of the snow, which was getting heavier. _If it keeps up like this, we'll be stuck here for a few days. _Allen thought. Kanda had glared at Rhiannon the entire walk, but stayed silent. They now sat around a table at the Inn, in front of a roaring fire, sipping tea.

"So, Rhia, can you tell us more about the Fae?" Lenalee asked, polite as ever.

"Yes, what do you want to know?" The young woman set her cup down on the table in front of her.

"Well, do you have any other powers besides the fire spell you used earlier?"

She sighed again, then smiled tiredly. "Yes, I do. I can control all the elements, and have heightened senses. I can run faster than any human, and can heal myself and others. I can also use glamour."

They all nodded, seeming to understand, then Lavi asked, "Glamour? What's that?"

"It's a sort of magic barrier that surrounds the user, creating an illusion of a different appearance, or hiding them completely." They had noticed by now she tended to talk with her hands.

"Sounds cool! Are you using one?" Lavi was bouncing in his seat, excited at this new information.

"No, a glamour uses much magic energy, and I have almost none left. Those men have been chasing me for several months, and, originally, I used a glamour to hide among humans, but that became too tiring, and I had several close calls where they almost caught me. And, as you saw, they wanted to kill me."

"But why? That's what we don't understand." Bookman asked.

"I know something about their master, which, if found out, could mean his head."

"Why is that?" Lavi asked. Before Rhiannon could answer, Bookman said, "The Fae are a long-lived race. They have been feared for many centuries, and when a group of humans discovered one they would kill him or her without hesitation. Because of this, the Fae have withdrawn from human society for a long time, and are only now starting to re-emerge, but in disguise."

Rhiannon looked shocked that he knew all of this, "How did you come by this information?"

"I am of the Bookman clan, we record the history of this world, and all the people in it. The Fae have shown up many times in history."

"Oh. I didn't know the Bookman clan was aware of the Fae." She looked apologetic.

"I didn't know the Fae were aware of the Bookman clan." The Bookman shrugged his small shoulders.

Suddenly, Lenalee yawned. Allen smiled slightly and said, "We've all had a long day, how about we all get some sleep? Rhia, you'll be rooming with Lenalee."

"Alright, see you all in the morning." The girls walked to their room, leaving the men in the dining room.

"Huh. Interesting girl." Lavi said.

**_Three days later_**

The Exorcists were now back in England, walking toward the main gate of the Black Order. The boat ride from Romania had been uneventful, and Allen was explaining the basics of the Order.

"So, Akuma are human souls that are brought back to life by the Millennium Earl, and the Noah are humans who have an awakened 'Noah gene'. They can control the Akuma, and have powers created by Dark Matter, the opposite of the Innocence that we use as weapons. They have no problem killing normal humans, and have made it their life's goal to destroy the Order, and the Innocence that we need to kill the Akuma." They were now walking through the main hall, to Komui's office. Rhia seemed to understand everything Allen was telling her.

They froze when they heard an argument ahead of them, getting closer, like those arguing were walking in their direction. The Exorcists recognized Komui's voice, and the other was vaguely familiar. As the voices got closer, Lenalee flinched, eyes wide.

"... don't know why you have to do this to her, she doesn't even know what the Order is, or if she can trust us. We have to leave her alone, we can't risk any repercussions."

"That's enough Komui. I just want to interview her, for now." Then Allen knew why he knew that voice, and why Lenalee looked like an animal being led to slaughter. Rounding the corner was Malcolm C. Lvellie.

"You, girl. Follow me. You are now in my custody." He pointed at Rhiannon. She looked to Allen, unsure of what to do. He tried to convey that he couldn't do anything to change Lvellie's mind, and she seemed to understand. She started to follow him with her head bowed, then Lvellie glanced back and said, "And Kanda, thank you for informing me about this girl." Rhiannon whipped back around to stare at the Asian teen, pain in her eyes.

* * *

Tyki wouldn't admit it aloud, but he was glad to be home, even if he had to deal with Sheril. Who was currently swooning over Road. _He seriously gives me the creeps. He does know she's older than him, right? _

"Oh, my darling Road, you just get cuter by the day~! Oh, but don't think I forgot about you, little brother!" He then tried to kiss Tyki, who blatantly refused. While they were struggling, the Earl walked into the study with Devit and Jasdero. The twins were pointing their guns at each other's heads.

"Tyki-pet, you're back so soon! Did you succeed in getting the Innocence?" The Earl's voice was as obnoxious as ever.

"Sadly, no. You called us back before we had a chance to find it. We were intercepted by a group of Exorcists, and Allen Walker was with them." Tyki replied, deadpan. "By the way, why did you call us back so early?"

"Allen Walker? Well, that can't be helped. I called you back because the other Noah have started to awaken, and we must go to meet them when they do." the Earl said excitedly.

"You left out the part where we met _that_ girl, Tyki." _Dammit, Road, why did you have to bring that up? _He turned to glare at his smirking niece.

"Oooh, a girl? Well, what did she look like? Couldn't have been cuter then my Road~." Sheril cooed.

"Hahaha, so Tyki fell for a girl, did he? Well, what's the story? Did she have a rockin' bod?" Devit joked.

"I did _not _fall for her. We had a brief conversation after she fell of a cliff and landed on two of the Exorcists." The other Noah blinked in shock, which was the reaction he had been hoping for.

"Wait... she fell off a cliff... onto two of the Exorcists?" Devit asked, looking like he was trying to wrap his small brain around the odd scene.

"And she didn't run when she saw you? Were you in your Noah form?" Sheril asked.

"Yes to both of you," Tyki pointed to them in turn, "she was running from someone, and fell off the edge of a cliff. She landed on two of the Exorcists, who we were about to fight. We talked with her because she looked scared of the Exorcists, but seemed to trust Road and myself."

"So she's scared of Exorcists, but trusts us Noah~" the Earl mused, rubbing his chin. "Well, we can look into that later. Tell us more about this girl. Was she beautiful?"

Tyki thought back, bringing Rhiannon's image into his head. "She was very beautiful, and acted like a noblewoman. She had long black and silver hair, and purple and blue eyes. She was very tall and thin. She was taller than Walker without heeled shoes. I don't know if she was a noble or not, but said she was a Fae."

"A Fae?" The Earl asked, seeming transfixed by Tyki's words.

"Wait, did you say silver hair and purple eyes?" asked Sheril.

"Well sort of, but-" Tyki was cut off.

"That sounds suspiciously like a Scottish noblewoman who went missing, and then was found murdered with her husband about three and a half years ago. I have the report here somewhere, I'll go look." Sheril snapped his fingers and stood, striding to the office door.

"But, wait-" Sheril was gone. He came back a few minutes later, leafing through an old folder of papers.

"Here she is, 'Cairistiona Pietrovitch, daughter of the Duchess of Argyll and the Russian Lord Pietrovitch, and her husband, the Romanian Lord Dragomir, were found murdered at their country estate in Northern Scotland. They leave behind their nine children, eight sons and one daughter. The suspected murderer is their son, Alexander, sixteen, who has fled the country and disappeared.' There's a picture of the family in the file." He handed the photograph to Tyki. He saw a woman in the middle of it; she had long silver hair cascading over her shoulders, with an older, stern looking man standing behind her. Next to him was a young man in his early twenties and two younger men who looked to be in their late teens. To the left of the woman were four boys who looked to be about fourteen, and all looked almost exactly alike. To her right were two teens, one a boy, who had black hair with a silver streak in the middle of his forehead, and next to him, holding his hand, was-

"Hey, that's her! That's the girl!" Tyki pointed to Rhiannon's face in the photo. _So she is nobility._

"That's the girl you met. Huh. She is pretty good looking." Devit said, looking over Tyki's shoulder.

"Yes, she is. So, she's a Dragomir..." Sheril trailed off.

"Why do you sound surprised?" Tyki asked.

"Because her father was a good man" he answered simply.

Tyki had never heard his brother use such a compliment, "You knew him?"

"Not well, though I wish I had." Sheril sat back down in his desk chair, "He was one of the few honest politicians, and didn't just do whatever he wanted, or do anything for personal gain."

_He does sound like a good man. No wonder Rhia's eyes looked so sad, if she had to go through this at an early age. Yet, why am I so infuriated by this? _And he was. Just thinking about Rhiannon being put through, by one of her own family no less, this thought made his blood boil.

"Well, enough of that~. We must prepare for the return of the Noah clan~!" The Earl smiled like a maniac, then seemed to lose his glow.

"It's alright Earl, we'll get the Fourteenth back someday~!" Road sang.

"You're right, Road. We mustn't dwell on the past, and hope to see our long-lost brother and sister in the futur-" The Earl tried to bite back his words.

_Wait... sister? There's another Noah?_

* * *

**And the plot thickens! Sorry if I made Kanda seem like a dick, but that will make more sense later! Please leave a review! I won't take offense, as long as you don't cuss me out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	7. Into the Gates of Hell

_**...Chapter Six: Into The Gates Of Hell...**_

Rhiannon followed Lvellie down endless hallways and staircases, until they were in what looked like an old dungeon. The walls leaked water, the space was lit by torches, and smelled strongly of mold. When Rhiannon had walked through the door, it slammed shut and locked behind her. She immediately started to panic, whipping around in attempt to find another exit.

"What is going on!? You said you would only interview me-" she was cut off when a cloud of spell strips surrounded her. She could no longer speak or move, and fell to the floor, her knees giving out. Another man, this one blonde, walked around a corner she hadn't noticed.

"And so I shall. But first, a little experiment." Lvellie paced in front of her, "I overheard Yuu Kanda tell Komui about you, and became very interested. I want to know if you would be an asset in this holy war." He saw the confusion in her eyes, "That is to say, I want to know if you are compatible with Innocence, and if we can use you as a weapon."

* * *

_A weapon? What are they going to do to me? Where are Allen and the others? Someone, please help me! _I mentally screamed. I couldn't move my arms or legs, and it hurt to breathe. These strange men intended to turn me into a weapon for personal gain, and I was powerless against them. _Out of the pot, into the fire. At least with the Dark Fae, I wouldn't feel any pain..._

Tears started to make their way down my cheeks, and an almost silent sob escaped my lips. My torturer didn't even hear me.

"I realize you don't know my name yet." He started to pace. "I am Malcolm C. Lvellie, and this is my assistant, Howard Link," he motioned to the man, and the blonde nodded politely. "We are from Central, the commanders of the Black Order. I have a feeling you will be of great assistance to us in ending this seven thousand year-long war." At this point, I couldn't see them clearly, I was crying so hard. I could barely feel the wall behind me, which I leaned against, it offering me the only support I had while kneeling, my legs completely numb. _Someone, anyone, help me, please! Allen, help me!_

Howard Link opened the previously locked door he was standing in front of, letting two guards into the room, who then picked me up off the floor, one holding my legs, the other holding me under my arms. They carried me down the hall and another flight of steps. And another. And another. We were now at least eight stories below the ground floor. The guards set me down on what looked like an old operating table, and strapped my wrists and ankles to it. _Like that will do anything, I'm still immobile, _my thoughts turned bitter. Lvellie entered the room with three scientists I hadn't seen outside. They pushed my sleeves and pant legs up, exposing my pale, bruised skin, then inserted long needles attached to tubes into the crook of my elbows, ankles, and knees, as well as several, smaller ones at odd intervals. When the needles entered my skin, my entire body felt chilled to the bone, and the needles themselves burned my skin. I started to cry again, this time in pain.

"Well, girl, we will now try to force a synchronization with Innocence. This may hurt a bit." Lvellie said, then flipped a lever on a large machine behind him. When a fluid started to flow into my veins from the larger needles, and electricity from the smaller ones, my only thought before going unconscious was, _You damned, bloody liar. Allen, please help me! _

* * *

Allen, Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, and Bookman walked through the halls of the castle that was the new Black Order HQ, silently seething. All for slightly different reasons. Kanda for the lies Lvellie told, and the others for thinking Kanda had handed Rhiannon to Lvellie on a silver platter. They made their way to the cafeteria, not saying a word to each other. When they reached the main door, Allen turned to Kanda and said, "Why did you do that, Kanda... just, just why?" Allen's voice cracked on the last words.

"I didn't." Kanda said simply, his face not giving away any emotion.

"Like hell, you didn't! Lvellie said you were the one who told him about Rhiannon, so who else could it have been?!" Allen snapped.

"If you would just listen-" but Allen cut him off.

"No, I don't want to hear any excuses from you!" They now had the attention of everyone in the cafeteria; Krory, Miranda, four Finders, and half the Science Division. Krory and Reever got up and walked over to them, already prepared to break up a fight. The two Exorcists were getting closer and closer to each other as they volleyed insults, Allen accusing Kanda of telling Lvellie about Rhiannon, Kanda trying to explain what really happened, and Allen cutting him off before he could finish. Then Allen lunged at Kanda, and Krory and Reever ran to pull them apart.

"How could you, you bastard?!" Allen shouted as Reever restrained him, tugging him backwards.

Kanda was in a similar situation with Krory. "I didn't! If you had shut up for two seconds, I could have told you! I told Komui, not Lvellie! He must have been in the room while Komui was on the phone!"

Allen immediately calmed down, losing his fighting stance. "So... you didn't tell Lvellie?" Krory and Reever dropped their comrades.

"No!" Kanda said, exasperated. The swordsman brushed himself off, "I would never do something like that, knowing what he did to Lenale-" he cut himself off, and he and Allen stared at each other for the briefest moment before turning around and sprinting back the way they had come.

When they could no longer be seen, everyone turned to Lavi, Lenalee, and Bookman, silently asking for information.

"Well... it kinda goes like this..." Lavi said, then told the bizarre story of the past three and a half days.

"We're sorry, but the Inspector cannot be seen at this moment." Allen and Kanda tried to press the imposing guards for more information, but they were not forthcoming and gave the same answer. Five times. The Exorcists walked off, feeling defeated.

"Well... what do we do now?" Allen said.

"I guess we ask again tomorrow..." Kanda trailed off, then punched a stone wall and exclaimed, "God, I'm such an idiot! Why didn't I ask if anyone else was with him?!"

Allen had never seen the swordsman like this, and quite frankly, it scared him.

"Hey, just calm down." Allen said in a placating voice, "I'm sure she'll be fine. I mean, you saw her fight the other day! If she can go through that so easily, than I'm sure anything Lvellie can throw at her can't be too bad." Allen never thought he would have to comfort someone who hated him so much.

"Maybe you're right. We'll check again tomorrow." Kanda then turned down a hallway leading towards the new training grounds. _Huh. What's gotten into him? _As Allen was thinking this, a sharp pain went through his head, and he fell to his knees. Then he heard, or felt, a flicker of something else. What sounded like a familiar voice crying out in pain.

* * *

"Hah, finally!" Tyki exhaled. He had just finished the last page in the book he had been reading before the failed mission. The mission where he had met Rhiannon...

"Is lover-boy day-dreaming? About a certain ravenette?"

"What do you want, twins?" He really didn't want to deal with these idiots right now.

"That's not our name, hee! I'm Jasdero, and he's Devit, and together, we're Jasdev-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, shut up and leave me alone!" The twins were shocked, they hadn't seen Tyki snap like this before. They backed out of the room, and shut the door of the library behind them.

* * *

For the next five days, Allen and Kanda went to speak with Lvellie, each day receiving the same answer. And each night, around the same time, Allen got a debilitating headache, and woke in a cold sweat from nightmares.

Each night it was the same; a bloody battlefield, the only warrior standing holding a sword over a prone body. When Allen walks closer, he sees a flash of a woman's face, the warrior plunges the sword down, Allen feels a stab of pain in his abdomen, then jolts awake in his own room. When he does, he could swear he hears a scream, somewhere off in the distance.

He knew something wasn't right, and wanted to know what was going on with Rhiannon and Lvellie, and wanted the answer _right now._ He knew of only one group of people who could help at this point. He started to think up a complex plan, but knew he would need help. He told his plan to Kanda, Lavi , Lenalee, and Bookman. When he finished, they all looked at him like he had finally gone insane.

"You've completely lost it, man. But, you're right," the redhead slapped his knees "None of this feels normal, and those people are probably the only ones as crazy as you, to think this will work." Lavi said. Allen was beyond shocked that the others also agreed.

"Alright then, here's what we need to do..."

* * *

Devit stuck his head into the library, "Tyki, the Earl wants to talk to you and Road right now, said it was important." he said, then darted out. He didn't want a repeat of last week. Tyki sighed, put his book on a side table, and stood up.

_What could it possibly be this time, _he thought as he walked to Sheril's study, where the Earl normally was when he had a mission for any of them. Upon reaching said room, he knocked twice, waited three seconds, then let himself in. His brother was seated behind his desk, the Earl in front of it, and Road in the Earl's lap.

"Ah, Tyki-pet~. I have a very important mission for you and Road. Several reports have come in of a very powerful piece of Innocence in a German village. There is a very high probability that this Innocence is the Heart, and you need to get there quickly, before those hateful Exorcists do."

Tyki faltered for a moment, then said, "Alright. Road, how soon can you have a door ready?"

Half an hour later, Tyki and Road walked through the seemingly abandoned German town, very quickly becoming suspicious.

"If this is a town with Innocence, then why did everyone leave? Normally a town like this would be really prosperous, but all the buildings look like they haven't been used in years..." Road mused aloud. Tyki shrugged, just as mystified.

"That's because they haven't," said a voice behind them. Both Noah whipped around, now facing an unassuming Allen. He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to fight."

"Neither are we," Tyki said, calling on the Dark Matter, which flickered around his fingers in a black mist. "We're here to find the Innocence hidden in the town, and bring it back to the Earl."

"Yeah, about that..." Allen mumbled.

"There isn't any." said Kanda, jumping down from a building next to Allen. The other Exorcists from General Cross's team did the same.

"What do you mean, there isn't any?! We got several reports of Innocence in this town, all of them saying it was here!" Tyki exclaimed.

"We made those up." Allen said with a shrug.

"Wait... what? You made them up?" Tyki asked, incredulous.

"Why would you do that?" asked Road, just as baffled.

Allen paused, deep in thought, then burst out, "Because we needed to talk to you. It's important."

"What could an Exorcist possibly want to talk to a Noah abou-"

"It's Rhiannon." Tyki froze at Allen's words. "She was taken into the custody of an officer from Central, and the man is known for cruel experiments on living people. We tried to contact him, but he refuses to speak with any of us. Every night I hear screams coming from one of the labs in the dungeons, and..." Allen shuffled his feet, not meeting anyone's gaze, "It's my fault for bringing her there. So, though it _pains_ us to admit, we need your help. Please."

Tyki and Road exchanged a shocked glance, then turned back to Allen and the other Exorcists. Tyki asked, "What do you have in mind?"

* * *

**Yay, I'm finally to the really confusing part! Allen, Lavi, Kanda, Lenalee, and Bookman teaming up with the Noah... What could possibly go wrong, right? Also, thank you to my followers and favoriters, and a big, heartfelt THANK YOU! to author12306 for her continued support and constructive criticisms, please stick by me and this story in the near future! Also, this is the longest chapter so far. They keep getting longer...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	8. Down the Rabbit Hole

_**...Chapter Seven: Down the Rabbit Hole...**_

For the past week I have been in the custody of the Inspector from Central, and every day he and his scientist friends preformed several experiments, each more painful than the last. One of the most frequent was the Synchronization test, where they tried to force me to become an Accommodator by injecting liquified Innocence into my body. They failed every time, and the injection sites were turning black like a burn. My entire body ached, and, even though the spell strips had been removed, I was in too much pain to move. _Where's Allen when you need him? I should have just let the Dark Fae kill me, instead of coming here. If I had, then this stupid war the Fae are in would be over, and no more innocent lives would be lost... _

Absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't notice Lvellie and the guards had entered the room until Lvellie was leaning over me. I painfully shifted my neck to look him in the face from where I was sitting on the floor. I could tell my eyes were glazed over.

"It's time for your tests again, girl," he said, then nodded to the guards, who picked me up the same way they had on the first day and every day after. I barely registered the halls and stairways they walked down, since where their hands touched my sensitive skin felt like flames going to my very soul. I didn't even have the strength to cry out, and only allowed a single tear to roll down my cheek. The guards again set me on the medical table in the lab, and as the scientists inserted the needles, I let my mind drift away from my body. It was the only way to escape the pain...

* * *

"So, you want us, your enemies, to team up with you to break into Black Order HQ, and bust Rhiannon out of captivity, which you led her to?" Tyki asked Allen accusingly.

"Well, if you put it like that, it seems impossible..." the silver haired teen muttered.

"And you're saying it isn't!?"

"Didn't Lulu Bell already break in once? Why can't you do it again? Besides, this time we're leading the way." Lavi said. Tyki and Road looked taken aback.

"He does have a point..." mumbled Road.

"I can't believe you're actually agreeing to this! Besides, if the Earl or Sheril find out, they'll be_ furious_!"

"Will you two stop arguing! Are you going to help us or not?!" Kanda exclaimed.

Road glared at Tyki, who then grumbled his assent. "We'll help. But this is a one time thing." Road said.

"Alright, then, here's the plan..."

* * *

The Exorcists and Noah walked through the Order's Ark, while Allen explained.

"I can't make a door directly to the room Rhia is in because I don't know exactly which room it is, but we do know which floor and section she's in. There's only eight holding cells in that section, so it won't be too hard to find her and get out, as long as we time this correctly." Allen said as he led the way through the Ark.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Tyki.

"Every night, around the same time, they take Rhiannon to one of the labs to run tests. I memorized the schedule, and we'll have fifteen minutes to get her out." The others, Noah and Exorcist alike, looked shocked.

"How did you memorize the schedule?" Tyki said, doubtful.

"Because for the past week, every night at the same time, I can hear her screaming from the tests. My room is close to the labs."

_Are they running tests or torturing her? If it's the latter, I swear I'll kill them all myself. _Tyki silently seethed. Just thinking about that infuriated him. He knew they had to rescue her, and fast.

* * *

The experiment was finally over, this time more disastrous than before. While the test was running, one of the electrical tubes burst, which caused the others to short out. My muscles seized up, and I screamed more than ever before. The scientists immediately shut the machine off, the electricity stopped flowing, and the Innocence left my body, leaving behind a chill so cold it burned. I saw the black marks move another half-inch up my arms and legs, creeping like vines. Now my hands, arms, legs, and feet were blackened almost six inches, and the injection sites were turning bright red.

"Fix it, as soon as possible! We can't go forward with the tests without that machine!" Lvellie snapped at the scientists. He then ordered the guards to carry me back to my cell. They practically threw me back in, and I crawled to the wall I had used as support previously. I let my eyes drift closed, hoping to finally get some uninterrupted sleep. They flew what seemed to be moments later when I heard shouted voices and the faint sound of several pairs of feet running towards the door of my cell. The voices stopped right outside my door. _No... They can't have fixed the machine so quickly! Am I really going to die in this hell-hole? _

* * *

Getting into the Black Order HQ wasn't a problem at all. Getting in undetected was. After walking out of the Ark door and rounding a corner, they almost instantly ran face-first into a member of the Science Division. Tyki grabbed Allen's and Road's arms and pulled them back just before they could be seen, and the other Exorcists bumped into their backs. Allen shushed them as they tried to complain. When the scientist disappeared down a staircase, the Exorcists and Noah sprinted as quietly as they could to the hallway they needed. The torches hung on the walls offered little light, but it was enough. Allen pointed to the hall they needed, which was the darkest and dankest of them all. Kanda and Allen grabbed torches off the wall behind them. They split into two teams, Kanda, Lavi, and Bookman in one, and Allen, Tyki, Road, and Lenalee in the other, and searched the cells one by one. The doors didn't have windows in them, so they had to open the heavy doors to see inside. Kanda's team took the cells on the left, and Allen's team searched the doors on the right. After searching one room, someone from each team would say, "Empty!" or "She's not in this one!".

They almost gave up hope, until Tyki opened the final cell in the hall. He couldn't see well in the dark, and motioned to Allen to bring the torch. He thought the cell was empty, then heard a faint groan of pain; his eyes flicked to a figure in all black curled into a ball in the farthest corner from the door, obviously trying to become as small as possible. It seemed impossible, but, "Rhia?"

The figure uncurled, and lifted its head. Black and silver hair floated around a face, and dull purple and blue eyes struggled to focus on anything. Rhiannon said, in a very weak voice, "Well, look who finally showed up."

Allen turned to the others, who were standing in the hall, looking stumped. "Everyone, she's in here! Get ready to leave as quickly as possible, we don't have much time left." He and Tyki walked to where Rhiannon leaned against the cold, moist wall. As they got closer, they noticed her eyes and cheeks were sunken in, and her shoes were gone. Her hands and feet were blackened, like they had been burned, and the sleeves of her now torn sweater were pushed up, revealing several red welts. Both of them became furious at the sight, for different reasons, but both feeling like it was their fault.

Tyki knelt to Rhiannon's level, and asked in a soft voice, "Can you stand or walk on your own?" She shook her head, but stopped quickly, obviously in pain.

"I can barely move at all." Her voice was rough and she coughed, a harsh, hacking sound.

"Don't strain yourself, and don't speak if it will hurt you more." Tyki then picked her up bridal style, and stood to walk out of the room. Where her skin touched his, he could feel how feverish she was, and she shivered, her breath ragged and forced. When he saw the look on Allen's face he paused. "You can't blame yourself for this. You couldn't have possibly known they would do this to her."

Allen sighed, looking defeated, and said, "You're right. Let's just get out of here." He turned and walked out the door, Tyki right behind him. When the others saw the state Rhia was in, they all had similar reactions of shock, slight panic, and anger.

"We need to get out of here, now. The guards will be here shortly to bring her to the labs." Allen said while walking, and he passed the others. They followed silently, not wanting to upset the usually cheery member of their group more. When they reached the end of the hall, they broke into a jog, Tyki careful not to jostle Rhia too much. When they were almost to where the Ark door was hidden, they heard a loud voice behind them yell, "All of you, freeze!" Without turning around, they knew it was the guards. Then another voice said, "Exorcists, if you do not return that girl, I will assume you are committing treason!" This time, it was Lvellie.

"Run! Don't let them cast any spell strips!" Allen shouted. The group broke into a sprint, and came to the Ark door in under thirty seconds. They could hear several guards running behind them, and they got to the door with just enough time to close it and for Allen to deactivate it as the guards started to bang on it. The team stood panting just on the other side of the door, and Tyki noticed Rhia's breathing was slowing and becoming more forced, and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. The black was slowly creeping it's way up her arms, and the puncture marks were starting to look infected.

"Bookman! What's happening to her?" His voice was panicked, and he didn't care.

The Bookman gave her a quick examination, then said, "It appears she has Innocence poisoning, which means Lvellie tried to force a synchronization. We need to get her to a better shelter immediately so I can cure her."

"But you can cure her?"

"Yes, but I need a more sterile environment to prevent another, different infection."

Tyki and Road exchanged a look. "The only place we can think of is my father's estate." said Road.

The Exorcists looked uneasy, but agreed with trepidation. Road connected a door to Sheril's estate, and they all walked through, Road first, followed in order by Allen, Bookman, Tyki with Rhiannon, Lavi, Lenalee, and lastly Kanda. The Exorcists stared when they walked out, surprised by the surrounding foyer. Marble floors, high, arched ceilings, a large chandelier, and a sweeping staircase with filigree-like metal railings. They then spun on their heels when they heard two approaching voices, which turned out to be the twins. Before Tyki or Road could explain the situation, they sprinted back in the direction they had come.

Tyki sighed and said, "Follow me," then walked calmly but swiftly up the stairs and down the hall to the right. They walked past at least twelve doors, until Tyki stopped at the only blue one, which Road opened without question. Tyki walked through the doorway, and the others followed him in. The room turned out to be a spacious guest bedroom. Tyki turned to the Bookman and asked, "Will this do?"

"Yes, please place her on the bed." Tyki complied, just as he heard several, angry sounding voices coming nearer. One was his older brother. _Damn, I thought he would still be out. _Another was the Earl. Tyki set Rhia down gently, and her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her entire body was trembling with fever, and the black was almost to her elbows. She leaned heavily on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her thin, shaking shoulders.

The door slammed open, and Sheril, the twins, and the Earl, who was in his human form, entered. "Just what in the hell is going on here?!" Sheril exclaimed, clearly enraged. His eyes landed first on the Exorcists, who were standing awkwardly, then lingered on Road, and finally rested on Tyki and Rhiannon. "What is that girl doing here? And why are these Exorcists with you?"

"It's alright, father. The girl, Rhiannon, was captured by the Order, and they tried to force her to synchronize with Innocence, which then poisoned her. The Exorcists helped us in rescuing her. They aren't a threat to us." said Road, who was being uncharacteristically serious. Sheril looked dubious, then the Earl walked around him to get a clearer look at the visitor. He instantly recognized her. "Oh, no. My dear, sweet Seraphiel, what have they done to you?" His voice was soft and caring. Tyki had only heard him talk this way to Road.

Rhiannon's eyes shifted to where the Earl was standing, then struggled to focus. When they did, she said, her voice disbelieving, "_Adam?_"

_How does she know the Earl's Noah name? She can't be..._

"It has been too long, my dear. Seven thousand years..." Rhiannon's eyes then slowly drifted closed, and her breath became more labored and ragged than before, nearly stopping. She didn't respond in any way to Tyki calling her name.

"Bookman!" His voice was even more panicked.

"All of you except Lavi, out! I need to treat her now, or she could die soon!" All of them left the room, leaving the Bookman and his apprentice to work.

"Earl, can you please now explain just what that girl is, why she recognized you, and vise-versa?" demanded Sheril.

* * *

The Noah and Exorcists were now seated in the library, all looking expectantly at the Earl.

"Seven thousand years ago, before the beginning of the war between the Noah and the Exorcists, there were fifteen Noah." The occupants of the room looked dumbfounded.

"I thought there were only fourteen!" exclaimed Devit.

The Earl held up a hand, "Let me finish. The war began when the first users of Innocence attacked the Noah and killed the fifteenth. You now know her as Rhiannon."

"Why didn't you tell us this before today?" asked Tyki as he placed his head in his hands, mentally and physically exhausted.

"Because after this occurrence, Seraphiel never reincarnated. Until now."

"How is that possible, when all the other thirteen have?" Road questioned.

"She was killed by the holder of the Heart, who committed the ultimate act of betrayal. Seraphiel... wasn't like the other Noah. She interacted with humans, and taught them how to create a peaceful society. And she taught them how to wield the Innocence to protect themselves. The Accommodators deemed the Noah a threat to their society, and attacked, killing Seraphiel first. We fought until most of the Accommodators were killed, and the holder of the Heart had fled, but it was too late for her. We had lost her, and she never returned to us."

"So, that was the cause of the Holy War? Why wasn't it written in the history of the Order?" asked Allen.

"The Order didn't exist at that time, but the Bookman clan did." said Bookman, who had just walked through the door. "The battle is recorded in the true history."

Tyki and Allen jumped up, but before they could say a word, Bookman said, "She is completely fine, and is now sleeping. She will be fully healed in a few days. You can go see her now, but she needs her rest." The Exorcists, Road, and Tyki left the room, followed closely by Sheril, the twins, and the Earl. When they reached the room Rhiannon was in, they saw the door had been left open, and Lavi was sitting in a corner opposite the bed, watching Rhiannon. She was now sleeping peacefully, like Bookman had said, and her hair had been brushed and braided. The black burns had disappeared, and her skin was now its original alabaster. Lavi stood when he saw the others. Tyki and Allen both walked to the bed, and pulled chairs close to it. They obviously meant to stay a while.

Bookman turned to Sheril and the Earl, "We must take our leave now. The Order knows we aided in rescuing Rhiannon, and will now be hunting us. We don't want to be a burden."

Sheril and the Earl exchanged a look, then Sheril said, "As long as you're here, and the Order is hunting you, you all might as well stay. We're in this mess together now."

The Exorcists all looked at each other, then grudgingly nodded.

"Where will we be staying?" asked Lenalee.

"Please follow me, I'll show you to your rooms, and give you a quick tour of the house." said Road. The Exorcists followed down the hall, and up another staircase. The Earl, twins, and Sheril left for Sheril's study. Allen and Tyki hadn't moved from their seats next to Rhiannon, content to stay there until she awoke.

* * *

**And now the Noah and our favorite Exorcists are teamed up! And Rhiannon is a Noah! But, this isn't even the really interesting part. That comes later. Please don't hate me... Oh, and by the way, I won't be updating for about a week, I'm going to church camp, and there's a strict, no electronics policy, so, in other words, no internet. But, don't worry, I love you all, and will update as soon as I can. And this is my longest chapter so far. By a lot... Over three thousand words...I'm worried about where this is going... Anyway, please stick by me in the future, and help me to improve this story! Which Noah do you want to reawaken next? Have I made any really obvious mistakes? Are the characters to OOC?  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	9. The Awakening

_**...Chapter Eight: The Awakening...**_

For the next three days, Tyki and Allen took shifts to watch Rhiannon. Every now and again, Bookman or Lavi would come to check on her, but she hadn't woken up once. It was Allen's turn to watch Rhiannon, so Tyki was finding food that wasn't going to be used in the upcoming early Christmas party his brother was hosting. He knew the cook would go off on rampage, hunt him down, and hit him over the head with a broom if he took something he wasn't supposed to. So he settled for the last of the brined ham and an imported apple. After he had eaten, he walked back to the room Allen and Rhiannon were in.

"Still hasn't woken up yet?" Tyki, who was now in his human form and semi-normal clothing, asked when he had walked through the doorway. He looked around at the room that was unlike the others in the mansion, with its understated blues and greens, blonde wood flooring, and fruit wood furniture. Allen sat up straighter in the armchair he was using.

"Not yet, and she barely moves in her sleep, but she's still breathing." The young Exorcist shrugged noncommittally. "She'll no doubt wake up soon, she just needed her rest so she could heal." Allen replied. Tyki nodded in response, and sat back in the chair he had previously occupied. The two settled into a comfortable silence, and Allen's blinks got longer and longer.

"Isn't it odd that we aren't trying to kill each other right now?" asked Tyki, breaking the silence.

"Huh. I guess it is. It might just be Rhiannon's influence." The teen's voice was getting sleepy. They had both been feeling a sense of calm when they sat next to the bed, and had had relaxed conversations when they were in the same room. Neither of them quite knew why.

"You could be right. Or we simply feel a sense of responsibility for what happened." Allen glanced at the man on his left, and hummed his consent. They both lapsed back into silence, and Allen began to nod off. When he was almost completely asleep, Rhiannon's eyes twitched slightly, and she moved to rest on her back with a groan, as she had been laying on her side facing them. She breathed in deeply and her eyes fluttered open. She pushed herself up on her elbows, and turned her head to regard at the occupants of the room.

"How long was I asleep?" She still had a look of disorientation, and was obviously trying to get her bearings, rubbing the weariness out of her eyes.

"A little over three days." Tyki replied as calmly as he could. She looked slightly startled at this information and sat up, kicking the covers off.

When Allen saw this, he nearly jumped out of his seat to push her back down, which she reluctantly did, "You had many severe injuries, and Innocence poisoning from what Lvellie tried to do. What all do you remember?" He tried to keep his tone soothing.

She shifted so her body was facing them, and looked more than a little uncomfortable. "Almost everything. Lvellie told me he wanted to use me as a weapon, to end the Holy War. I still have no idea what he meant by this." She obviously wanted to avoid this topic; she was shifting back and forth like she couldn't settle down. She lapsed back into deep thought, then said, "So... I'm a Noah?"

"Apparently. Do you remember anything from your first incarnation, anything at all?" Tyki asked, just as mystified.

"Only bits and pieces." She tipped her head to the side. "The names of the other Noah, snippets of conversations, flashes of what they looked like. Mostly you, Tyki, the Earl, and someone named Abbadon." Tyki couldn't remember a Noah with that name, so it must have been the Fourteenth's Noah name.

Allen reached out, patted Rhiannon's hand, and said, "I'll go tell the others she's awake." Tyki nodded at his words. Allen stood, walked around the chairs, and left the other two to their conversation, the door left slightly ajar. Tyki and Rhiannon just stared at each other for a few minutes, both absorbed in their thoughts and trying to remember a life from seven thousand years ago. Both failed. Tyki stood and moved to sit on the bed next to her, crossing his legs in front of him.

"So, out of all the Noah, you remember me, the Fourteenth, and the Earl. Maybe you were closest to us three?"

Rhiannon sighed, "It's a possibility. I do remember eleven others, but only by name. I'll most likely know them when I see them, like you, the Earl, Road, and your brother. I still don't know his human name, though."

"His human name is Sheril. How did you know he is my brother?" Tyki asked, wondering if they had always been brothers, then remembering the Noah had always been a family.

"You look almost exactly alike." She gave him a look that clearly said _duh,_ "There's only a few differences, so it was a lucky guess." Tyki hummed in response, lost in thought. He had been having strange dreams for the past three days, flashes of memories long past. It was the same every night.

_Tyki walked through a vast garden, filled with plants and flowers he had never seen before, some with petals th_e _size of serving platters. The trees seemed to reach to the sky, and Tyki had to look almost straight up to see the tops. He heard footsteps next to him, and turned his head to see a man with spiky blue-black hair walking beside him. He looked almost exactly like Allen, but stood about two inches taller; still several inches shorter than Tyki._

_"Do you have any idea why she's been spending so much time in the gardens this past week?" the other said._

_"No clue. She's always had a green thumb." Tyki replied, though he couldn't feel his lips move. _I must be dreaming, _he thought. _Maybe I can control the dream? _But he was simply an observer, watching through the eyes of his past life, feeling detached. The men walked in silence for ten minutes, until they saw the figure of a woman through an opening in the tree line. She was wearing a white, old-fashioned Greek-style dress that draped over her slim body, and was belted at the waist with a silver cord. Her back was facing them, so all they could see was a tumble of curly, blue-black hair tied with a red ribbon, reaching almost to her ankles. She was standing in front of a clear pond, watching the lilies float on the surface._

_"There she is," said the man next to Tyki. "Seraphiel!" The woman turn her head to see them. Tyki was dumbfounded to see Rhiannon's smiling face looking back at him._

_"What are you two doing here? Normally you avoid the gardens at all cost," she replied._

_"We've been searching the gardens for you for about an hour. Adam was starting to get worried," said the other man, whom Tyki assumed was the Fourteenth._

_"Adam is always worried about me, never wanting me out of his sight for longer than five minutes." Seraphiel replied sarcastically._

_"I was starting to get worried as well. You didn't tell any of the others where you were going, and we thought you had gone to the human village again. You know how they have acted when we are around for the past three weeks." Tyki's past self said, chastising the younger woman._

_Seraphiel's expression softened. "I do know. I'll tell someone next time, or bring one of the family with me. I never meant to worry you, I'm sorry." She looked truly apologetic._

_Tyki's past self walked to where she was standing at the edge of the pond, and he saw she was holding a large pink lily in her hand. He then wrapped her in his arms, and she leaned her head on his chest. "You have no need to apologize to us. We just never want to see you hurt, and we would die inside if the humans took you away from us." Tyki's past self said._

_"He's right, little sister. I'll always want to protect you." the Fourteenth said. Tyki released her, and she turned to hug the Fourteenth._

_"I know, brother. I love you both so much."_

At this point, he would wake up, confusion running through his mind. He was broken out of his thoughts when the door swung completely open, and in walked his brother, Road, the twins, the Earl, who was still in his human form, and the Exorcists, who trailed behind Allen, looking uneasy about being surrounded by Noah. Road was hanging onto the Earl like a monkey.

"Rhiannon, you look like you slept well, and are almost fully healed. How are you feeling?" Bookman asked.

"My arms and legs still hurt a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle." They all noticed her accent sounded stronger, but leaned more towards Romanian than Irish.

"Well, that's good. I'll see to finding you some clean clothes. Perhaps Lulu Bell has something that will fit, but you're several inches taller than her." Sheril said, then turned around and walked back down the hall.

"Well, have you remembered anything~?" asked the Earl, sounding ridiculously happy, as per usual.

"Only small pieces. I mostly remember Joido, Abbadon, and you. But I also remember the names of the other eleven Noah."

The Earl froze for a moment at those names, then said, "You were always closest to the three of us, so that isn't all that unusual that you remember us the most. Is there anything else~?"

"A large house on a hill, overlooking a village and a large garden surrounding it on all sides." Her voice took on a dreamy quality, "Strange plants and flowers, and a clear pond with pink water lilies. And... Abbadon calling me sister." Tyki glanced her way, surprised that she remembered the same moment in the gardens as him. _I wonder just how much she remembers, if she remembers what she said._

"You had loved those gardens, and that pond," the Earl said with a nod. "You could spend hours simply watching the ripples on the surface and the fish that swam around it. You and Abbadon were really siblings, and you spent every waking moment with him and Joido." Rhiannon had a look of deep thought, and met Tyki's eyes, then her gaze shifted to Allen, who had sat back down in his armchair. Her eyes then rested on the twins, who were leaning against the far wall.

"You two are Bondomu, correct?" she asked. After everything they had seen and heard the past few days, this didn't even surprise the rambunctious teens.

"Right you are!" said Devit.

"But that's not our name in this form! I'm Jasdero, and he's Devit, and together we're Jasdevi, hee!"

"Uh, okay then." Rhiannon looked slightly weirded out by their hyper attitudes. She turned to Tyki and whispered, "Are they always like this?"

"Sometimes worse," he whispered back. She gave him a wry glance, then turned back to the door as Sheril re-entered the room, holding a long white dress with silver embroidery, thin straps, silver cinches just below where it would sit on her collar-bones and a slightly corseted bodice, and black flats.

"This might fit, Lulu Bell said she's never worn it because it's too long and drags where ever she goes. The shoes are also hers, but she said you could keep them. She wants to meet you as soon as possible, by the way."

"Thank you." She stood and took the dress, and all but Road and Lenalee left the room.

"Do you want any help with the dress?" Lenalee asked politely.

"Yes, please." Rhiannon replied.

"Oh, can I do your hair, please~? It's just so long and pretty!" Road asked, bouncing on her heels like a young child.

"I suppose. Just nothing crazy, okay?" Road nodded, looking disappointed.

* * *

The men had gone down the stairs to the foyer, waiting for the girls to finish. About fifteen minutes later, Road and Lenalee came around the corner of the hallway, and Road slid down the metal banister. Lenalee followed but walked down the steps calmly. When they were both back on the ground floor, Rhiannon turned around the same corner, Allen and Tyki staring in shock.

Where they thought she was too thin, they now saw that she had some muscle tone. Her hair floated in loose black and silver curls down to her shins, the silver streaks twisted and tied at the back, keeping the rest out of her face, and she was surprisingly curvy. She walked down the stairs slowly, her steps still slightly slow and painful. The dress and shoes fit like they were made for her, and her alone. When she was in the foyer, she stopped next to the Earl, Tyki, and Sheril. Tyki noticed for the first time that she wore two bracelets, a thin silver bangle with tiny Celtic knots carved into the metal on her left wrist, and a thicker, black bangle that looked as if it had been made of tiny, interwoven vines and leaves on her right.

"Shall we take a walk in the gardens and talk more privately?" the Earl asked.

"I have no objections," said Rhiannon. Sheril nodded and Tyki shrugged. They all grabbed a warm jacket, and the four of them then walked out the main entrance to the manor house and turned to follow one of the many paths around it, this one to the rose gardens, which had long since died. Rhiannon had the Earl on her left and Tyki on her right, and Sheril was on the Earl's left. They walked in silence for five minutes, the wind ruffling their hair lightly, and the hem of Rhiannon's dress swirled around her ankles. They walked slow so as to not strain Rhiannon.

Sheril was the first to break the silence. "How did you end up in Romania, running on the edge of a cliff?"

"I've wondered the same thing, and how did you still have a perfect manicure while running through the woods?" Tyki asked.

"Ten days before I was in Romania, which happens to be where I was born, I was in Mongolia, at the royal court there. When the guards got word of a group of strange men with large wolves with them, I immediately left and walked to the boarder between Mongolia and Russia, found a farmer who was on his way to Kyzyl, and boarded a train to Omsk there, and then from Omsk to the Ukraine." Rhiannon spoke while looking at her feet, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"I stayed there for a day to collect my strength, and get new clothes, the ones Tyki and the others found me in. I then boarded another train to Cluj-Napoca, which is close to Bistrita, the town that you were sent to to find the Innocence." She glanced up to meet Sheril's gaze. "The Dark Fae that I was running from almost caught me at each stop, but I got on the train just in time. They didn't catch up until I literally ran into Tyki, Road, and the Exorcists. The manicure was because I was posing as a visiting court lady, and had to act the part." Rhiannon explained.

"And you are the daughter of Gregorio Dragomir, correct?" asked Sheril.

Rhiannon looked startled, then an expression of overwhelming sadness filled her mystifying eyes. She looked down at her feet again as she walked, then lifted her eyes when she heard the large fountain that lay on the path they were walking on. When they had reached it, the Earl sat on the wide rim of the three-tiered marble fountain, and motioned for the others to do the same. Rhiannon pulled her hair over her right shoulder. They sat in the same order they had been in while they walked. There was a large gap between the Earl and Rhiannon, but almost no space between her and Tyki.

"How did you know my father's name?" she asked hesitantly.

"I met him a few times at conferences and such, but only spoke to him briefly. You have the same accent as him, and the blue color in your eyes is very similar to his." Sheril explained with a shrug. "He was a good man, and I regret not getting to know him better. Could you perhaps, if it wouldn't cause too much distress, explain what happened to your parents? I know it's a painful topic." Sheril patted her shoulder through the black wool coat.

She looked as if she wasn't going to answer, then said, "When I turned sixteen, my father was going to name me the successor to the Dragomir clan, the Fae side of my family." She added the last part hurriedly. "As well as being nobility in the human world, we are also nobility in the Fae circles. Many of the customs are different, though, and the custom of succession is one. For a new leader of a clan to be accepted, the current leader must make a formal announcement. The new leader most often is the oldest, but can be another child. Women are allowed the clan title."

She paused to take a deep breath, "My twin brother, Alexander, learned of this, and became exceedingly angry. He believed he would be the one named by our father. Before our father could make the announcement, Alexander killed my parents, with my father's own swords, and hid their bodies in the forest close to our manor in Scotland." Rhiannon's voice had become shaky, "They were discovered four days later by a group of villagers who were looking for rare medicinal herbs. They immediately reported it to police in the area. By that time, Alexander disappeared and joined the Dark Fae, and is now their leader. They have made it their life's goal to hunt and kill me, so he can become the next Lord Dragomir. My father's swords are now in my possession, and are the same swords that I used the other day."

When she had finished, she cast her eyes down again, this time at her knees. She had tears building at the corners of her eyes, and when Tyki saw this, he reached over and laid a comforting hand on the middle of her back. She sniffled lightly and wiped the tears away, then looked directly into Tyki's eyes, and it seemed that, at that moment, he could read her mind and knew exactly what she was feeling.

* * *

I held eye contact with Tyki, and it seemed to me that his warm, brown eyes were drawing me in, and would never let me go. I remembered the dream I had the night before, and shifted my eyes away quickly, before he could read my expression. _Just what was Joido to me in our past? _I thought. I asked the Earl, "What did you mean, when you said that I spent every moment with Joido and Abbadon?"

"Exactly that. You, Seraphiel, were always closest to Joido and Abbadon, and I was something of a father figure to you." the Earl shifted to place his hands in his pockets, "We were constantly worried about you, as you liked to disappear for hours on end, and walk down to the human village that was two miles down the hill our house was built on. You were friends with many of the teenagers in the village, and we had taught them what they needed to know for a peaceful society. We were the one who taught them how to grow crops to last a whole year, build shelters that could withstand the worst storms, and how to use the Innocence to protect themselves. After this, knowing we were not like them, they started to view us Noah as a threat, and attacked our house, finding you in the gardens first.

"The man who controlled the Heart of the Innocence recognized you, and took you as a captive to force us out of the house. When we refused to surrender, he," his voice faltered for a moment, "He cut your throat before any of us could do anything. Joido and Abbadon became enraged, and charged the users of Innocence. It was a long and bloody battle, and most of the Innocence users were killed, as were several of the family, and the holder of the Heart had disappeared. We went to where you were, but it was already too late.

"I have fought the Innocence users ever since that day, wishing that some day you would come back to us, and seven thousand years later, you finally have." The Earl nudged me with a smile, "The other Noah never remembered this until thirty-five years ago, the Fourteenth, Abbadon, remembered, and accused me of using your death as an excuse to destroy everything you had cared about. He attacked and killed most of us, except Road and myself."

After he spoke, the memories all came back to me like a tidal wave. The pain of a man pulling me by my hair through the gardens I had seen in my dream, the Noah rushing out of the large house; the blade on my throat; Joido and Abbadon's faces hovering over me, tears streaming from their eyes, the last thing I ever saw in that life. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore and they flowed freely down my cheeks. Tyki heard my shaky breath and pulled me into his chest with his left hand, smoothing down my hair with his right. I vaguely noticed the Earl and Sheril stand and walk back the way we had come after a nod to each other. Tyki stayed silent, just allowing me to cry. When my tears had run out, he asked me, "Do you want to walk around for a bit more, so the others don't see that you've been crying?" I simply nodded.

He stood and held my right hand in his left, leading me down the path to our left, one of the four that met at the fountain. The tree canopy had grown over the path, and the sunlight filtered through the branches, casting shadows. I shivered as the sun began to set, and Tyki let go of my hand to wrap his arm around me again. We walked for another twenty minutes, until the sun had completely set, and ended up back at the house from the way we had gone before.

As we walked through the main door, I yawned. Tyki smiled slightly, and said "I'll let you get your sleep. See you in the morning," he winked, "Seraphiel." He led me up the stairs, then turned down the opposite hallway. When he was no longer in sight, I turned and walked to the room that was, apparently, mine. I closed the door tightly behind me, and sat on the bed. _Just what is happening with my life now?_

* * *

**I'm BAACCCKKK! I had to come home from camp early after a near suicide attempt, and one of my relaxers is writing, so here it is! Just what were Tyki and Rhiannon in the past? Wouldn't you all like to know? But, I'm not telling you yet! Please read and review, I want to know how to make my story better! And, this chapter is over four thousand words... Oops? Anyway, a big thank you to all my followers and favoriters!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	10. The Lion's Den

_**...Chapter Nine: The Lion's Den...**_

I awoke the next morning with a soul-deep sense of calm. The sun filtered through the gauzy blue curtains, creating a look of being under water, and the faint sounds of birds could be heard through the windows on the east side of my room, which was opposite the bed. I breathed in the calm December morning air, and pulled the azure comforter up to my nose, trying to catch a few minutes more of sleep. I was just starting to drift back into my dreams when a loud crash echoed up the stairs and down the halls. I heard Sheril yell, "Twins!", two sets of feet sprint past my door, and knew I wouldn't sleep again until I got them to be more considerate of the others in the house. Which would take quite a while.

Sighing yet again, I pulled myself out of my warm bed and grabbed the boar hair brush off the cherry-wood dresser. I gently freed my hair from all tangles, and stepped into my shoes. After turning the knob on the door, I was almost hit with flying silverware, and heard the twins cackle as they ran further down the hall and up the staircase to the third floor. I looked in both directions down the hall, and, seeing no one, took one step out the door. And jumped back as Sheril bolted past me to where the twins had disappeared. When he saw me frozen in shock, he turned back and said, "Good morning, Rhiannon. Did you happen to see where the twins went?"

"They just flew up the stairs to the third floor like a pair of bats out of Hell." I said sarcastically. He recognized this, and gave me a dry glance, then went after the twins for a second time. When he had reached the stairs, he turned back and said, "In case you were wondering, everyone else is in the dining room. Lulu Bell wants to meet you today."

Following the sounds of voices, I went on my way down the steps, around the back of them, down another, short hallway, and into a bright, sunlit room. The space was taken up mostly by the large mahogany table that could easily fit three dozen people, but was only occupied by nine, with three plates that had been abandoned, no doubt by Sheril, Devit, and Jasdero, and one place in between the Earl and Tyki. On the side farthest from me sat, in order, Allen, Bookman, Lavi, Kanda, and Lenelee, and on the opposite, the Earl, the empty place setting, Tyki, Road, the three abandoned settings, and a female Noah I hadn't met before. Upon hearing my footsteps, the Noah all turned to see me clearly and the Exorcists halted their conversation. When the last Noah turned to face me, I heard the same voice I had heard when I met Tyki and Road, and said, "Rasutoru?" Even though her eyes were mostly closed, I saw a look of confusion pass over her face before it changed back to its original mask of calm. "Wait, I'm sorry. You must be Lulu Bell. Sheril said you wanted to meet me, was this correct?" She nodded in response, but didn't say a word.

The Earl grinned like a maniac, then said "Rhiannon, you're awake~! Please have a seat, and breakfast~, then you and Lulu Bell can talk later~." He gestured to the high-backed chair to his right. Tyki stood, pulled out the chair, then pushed it back in after I had sat down. _Always the perfect gentleman, isn't he?_

"You're looking well, how are you feeling this morning?" asked Bookman, who was sitting with his hands crossed in his sleeves.

"Completely healed, thank you. I owe you my life."

"That was nothing, you do not owe me a thing," he said. "If you truly want to thank someone, give your thanks to Allen and Lord Mikk."

I turned to Tyki, and said, disbelieving, "_Lord _Mikk?"

He fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. "That's my name in high society, when I'm with my brother. You can just call me by my first name." I could tell this was his preference. I didn't dwell on this, and instead asked the Earl, "What were you all discussing before I came in?"

* * *

Allen took this as an opportunity to take part in the conversation, "We were talking about what is going to happen to us Exorcists. Now that we have worked with the Noah in freeing you, they have marked us all as traitors."

Rhiannon stared at her hands resting on the table, her eyebrows drawing together, an expression of obvious distress written on her features."All of this trouble is my fault. If it wasn't for me, none of you would be involved in this."

Shocked by her sudden turn into the depths of depression, Tyki reached out and laid his left hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, and he said, "Don't you _ever_ think that again. I don't regret a single moment of the past five days, and I'm sure Road and the others agree." Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. He let his hand fall and stood when Sheril entered, pulling the twins by their ears. "What did they do this time, brother?"

"Took half of the good silver that the maids spent the past week polishing, and were using them for target practice. Most of it is now impaled in the walls around the house."

_Ah. So that's what happened. No wonder he's so upset, that's the silver for the party next week. _Sheril had been meticulously planning the formal dinner and following ball for four months, and had invited dignitaries from across Europe and South America. The silver in question had been handed down through their family for generations.

The twins finally broke free of Sheril's vise-like grip, and zipped to where Rhiannon was seated. She pulled back as they leaned forward, almost nose-to-nose with her. She went slightly cross-eyed at their proximity to her. "Hey-ya! How've ya been, missy?"

"Yeah, how've ya been, hee?"

"Um... could you back away by about, oh, two feet? At least?" Tyki leaned over and pulled them back by their fur-trimmed collars.

"Hey! We're just bein' friendly!" Devit exclaimed. "Friendly, hee!" echoed Jasdero.

"That doesn't mean you have to try and kiss her." He dragged them back to their seats next to Lulu Bell, and sat back in his own chair. Sheril sat next to Road.

"Well, now that we're all here, we can decide how we will proceed~." said the Earl. The Exorcists all flinched, fearing this exact moment. "You are our enemies, and have caused a pain in our necks for years, and nearly destroyed our Ark. That aside, you had a hand in rescuing Rhiannon, who means a great deal to our family, even though you also lead her to her captivity. I understand that was not your intention, and will overlook that. The only one who can decide your fate is our dear Fifteenth~."

Rhiannon stared at the Earl, then studied the Exorcists closely. She gave each of their faces a steady, unfaltering look. "They didn't mean me any harm, and it was a complete accident that the Central Investigator heard about me. If it wasn't for them, I would never have known any of my true family. I don't want any harm to come to a single one of them."

"Then I guess it's decided." The Earl slapped his hands down on the table, earning a jump from everyone. "If you agree, we will call a _temporary _truce. But, if you attack any of us, or the Akuma around the house, we will assume you are calling the truce off." The Earl motioned to Sheril, and both stood to walk back upstairs, presumably to Sheril's study. When they were gone, Road bounced into the Earl's seat, and leaned on Rhiannon's shoulder, playing with the silver bar and chain on her left ear. Rhiannon rolled her eyes slightly, but didn't move away. _Smart decision on her part, _thought Tyki.

"So, what do you think of the house so far~? Haven't gotten lost yet, right~?" she sing-songed.

"Not yet, but I'm sure to later." Rhiannon replied, then looked pleadingly into Tyki's eyes.

"How about we give her a tour after she and Lulu Bell have their talk?" Road pouted, but released Rhiannon's earring. Rhiannon followed Lulu Bell out of the formal dining room.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the twins and Exorcists had left for different parts of the vast estate. Tyki and Road waited, seated in the same places they had been before. When they heard steps on the marble behind them, they turned then stood to meet Rhiannon at the doorway. "Are you ready to give me that tour?"

Tyki smirked, then said, "That might take a while."

"I have a bit of free time," she said sarcastically. "Lead the way."

"Well, first, the large French doors behind you lead to the ballroom." They then made their way down the hall and back up the grand staircase, Tyki and Road pointing out various rooms on the way, including Sheril's study, four guest rooms, the one Rhiannon was using not included, a sitting room, the library, and the music room, the last two Rhiannon was sure she would be spending a lot of her time in.

* * *

Back at the Black Order, everything was far from calm. The Generals were worried that now that the Noah knew where they were, they would have a second, more destructive battle, the Science Division was trying to figure out where the Ark door they had used led to, the Exorcists worried what had happened to their comrades, and Lvellie lectured Komui on "allowing" this to happen.

"Now that five Exorcists, your own sister included, have seemingly sided with the Noah, I will, as of this moment, be taking full command of the Order, and how we will be dealing with these betrayals. Most likely, all will be executed, and the girl they broke out of captivity turned over to Central for further analysis."

_How can he talk about human lives as if they are completely worthless? Just what were those kids thinking that brought them to this?_

* * *

**And I have updated again! Please tell me of any mistakes, or if someone is too OOC... My back hurts and my arms and legs are covered in bug bites from camp. They hurt sooooo much! I am feeling much better today, but please keep me in your thoughts. I don't know when I will be needing it. This chapter is much shorter than the past two... :/**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	11. Ten Black Roses

_**...Chapter Ten: Ten Black Roses...**_

I could, after two days of struggling, find my way around the vast estate with little problem. The majority of my time was spent listening to Road babble, sitting in the library with Tyki, Lavi, and Bookman, going into the city of Lisbon with Lulu Bell, who was trying to find a dress for the upcoming party, or playing the glossy cherry-wood grand piano in the music room. On such occasions, the Noah would sit silently in the corner closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the west side of the house. Every now and again, Allen would lean against the door frame, but would only stay for a few minutes before disappearing to where ever the Exorcists were spending their time. Scattered around the room were various other instruments, including a Spanish guitar, a silver flute, a violin, and a cello, all of which I eyed with great interest when no one else was around. On the fifth day after waking up in the home of my new family, as I had taken to calling the Noah, my curiosity had reached its limit, and I brought the cello, a truly stunning instrument made from tiger maple, to one of the chairs the Noah usually say in. I carefully tuned each string to perfection, and tightened the bow hairs. The bow itself was made of black horse hair, the same tiger maple, and inlaid with black mother-of-pearl.

I had just started playing the first notes of Bach's Cello Suite No.1, when Allen and Tyki walked into the room. I froze instantly. "What are you two doing here?"

* * *

"We've been looking for you for a while. Lulu Bell and Road have been asking where you were, and Road was starting to pout and hit Lero on every solid surface she could find." Allen said. Rhiannon gave him an odd glance at the name but shrugged it off.

Tyki tried to not think of the similarities of this moment to his dream. Based on the look Rhiannon was giving him, she was thinking the same thing. "Why are they looking for me?"

"Lulu Bell said something about final dress fittings. She also said you haven't picked a dress for the party yet. You do know it's tomorrow, right?"

Rhiannon glanced down at the strings of the cello, "I wasn't planning on going at all. I didn't think I was invited."

"You being there would make the whole thing much more tolerable." Tyki said. She looked back up, trying to read from his eyes if he was being honest or not.

"He's right, and it would be nice to know someone besides the Noah there." said Allen. Tyki wasn't surprised by this statement, as he had been told the Exorcists would be invited to attend by the Earl that morning. Rhiannon hadn't, and looked slightly dumbfounded, then gave them both a dry smile.

"Well, if you put it like that, I guess I have no choice." She stood and placed the cello back in its stand, handling it like a newborn child.

* * *

Lulu Bell, Road, and I were now at the downtown, and very expensive, dress shop they had chosen earlier that week. Lulu Bell and Road were having their last fitting on the dresses they had selected on the first visit, while I was attempting to find a dress that would fit on such short notice. I glanced back at Lulu Bell and Road, who were both in their human forms and their stunning dresses. Lulu Bell's was dark violet with red rose accents, and hugged every curve. Road's was a confection of violet and aqua ruffles, with white bows and matching shoes. _I could never dream of looking like them..._

I was jerked out of my thoughts by Road's incessant tugging on my arm. "Rhia~, have you picked one yet~?"

"Not yet. Everything is either too short, or too frilly, or has too many bows."

"Wait, you don't like bows? Do you not think my dress is cute?" she pouted, looking much younger than she really was.

"That's not what I meant in the least. Your dress is adorable, but on me, bows look... puffy." I paused and shrugged. "I'm okay with just one in the back, but all of these have more than ten." I said with honesty. I was too tall and thin for bows to look even slightly acceptable on my figure, and my features were much more mature than Road's.

"Hmm, I think I can fix that... Lulu Bell!" she ran back to where the aforementioned Noah was, and had a brief, whispered discussion. Lulu Bell then spoke to the owner of the shop, a young woman with auburn hair and freckles, who then turned to me, and gestured me over by waving a hand. I let the heavy brocade dress I was holding fall back into place on the rack. That one looked nice, but the hem was four inches above my ankles. I walked calmly over to them, but inside I was panicking, worried what torture Road had thought up.

"Madam Bell informed me that you are unable to find a suitable dress. Please follow me to the back, we have dresses specially made for a woman of your stature." _Did she just insult me? _I wondered, but quickly reconsidered when I saw the envious glances she was giving me. When I passed the Noah, I mouthed _Thank you! _Lulu Bell gave me the hint of a smile, and Road grinned ear to ear. The shopkeeper, who was more than six inches shorter than me, lead me to a storage room in the back. I stared, as I had never seen this many ball gowns outside of, well, a ball. She pointed to the far corner, where I saw an entire rack of dresses the proper length, and I eagerly looked through them. And was sorely disappointed once again. The dresses here were made in a similar fashion as the ones in front, with way to many bows, frills, and beading. Some were so heavily encrusted in crystals they looked more like a chip of ice then a gown. I sorrowfully pushed one after another down the rack, my heart sinking lower in my chest with each gown I passed. I was about to give up and walk out, when a peek of ice-blue satin and jade lace caught my eye at close to the end of the rack. I almost ran to it, and, pulling it out, nearly squealed with delight. This was my dress.

I held the hanger in my left hand, and kept the train from dragging on the floor with my right, and attempted to look civilized as I re-entered the fitting rooms. "Ladies," the Noah turned. I held up the dress, Lulu Bell's eyes opened completely and smiled more than I had yet seen, and Road giggled like a toddler. "I think I found it." They both nodded enthusiastically.

After checking that the dress fit (like a glove), paying, and stopping shortly at a jeweler on the same block, we were finally on our way home. Lulu Bell and Road had both purchased a parure with stones matching the colors of their gowns, and I selected only a simple, oval moonstone set in silver, and a hammered silver torque. When we were within one hundred yards of the manor, Road leaned out the window and yelled, "Father, Tyki! We're back~!" Both Noah turned in our direction to see Road half in, and half out of the carriage we were seated in. Sheril grinned and waved enthusiastically back while Tyki rolled his eyes. As soon as the carriage was almost to a complete stop, Road jumped out into Sheril's arms. Lulu Bell and I chose a more dignified manner of exit. Tyki smirked and led the way back inside, Sheril cooing at Road the entire time. The Earl was just inside the door, and when he saw us, he asked, "Well did you find a gown that fits?" I nodded silently, and he said, "So let us see it~!"

As I was about to take the dress out of its large white box, Road pulled my hand back and said, "Wait, Rhia! Let's surprise them with it at the ball~!"

Tyki rolled his eyes again, Sheril pouted in a similar way to Road, and the Earl sighed. "Well, if you insist. Sheril, Tyki, we'll be leaving in about an hour~." The two men nodded, and the Earl walked into the formal sitting room.

"Where are you going, if I may ask?" I inquired.

"We have to pick up our new suits. The Earl insisted." Tyki said. "But, while I'm still here, would you mind finishing the song you were playing earlier?"

I smiled, put my coat back in the hall closet, and made my way up the stairs to the music room, which was across and two down to the left of mine. The room was empty, and I went back to the place I had been seated earlier that morning. I pulled the cello up from where it had laid on its side, and re-tuned it. When that was done, I held the bow to the strings, and played the familiar melody of Bach's Cello Suite No.1 Prelude. When the final note resounded off the walls, I lowered the bow, and Tyki clapped softly, not wanting to break the stillness of the air. I stood, and put the cello back in its stand. "Shall we?" I gestured to the door. He followed me down the hall to the library. We both picked up the books we had abandoned the night before, and sat in chairs across from each other.

* * *

Tyki stared at Rhiannon above the spine of his book, watching as she yet again pushed her hair behind her ears. He almost laughed out loud when it slipped again, and she glared cross-eyed at it in front of her nose. She heard his chuckle, and turned her glare at him. "Think it's funny, do you?"

"Tremendously." he chuckled again.

"_Osel*_. And here I was thinking I would get a little sympathy from you. I thought wrong." she grouched.

"Was that Russian? What did you say to me?"

"I'm not saying another word until you apologize."

He was about to do so when the twins crashed into the door, and Devit said, "The Earl's about to leave without you, so ya might want ta hurry."

Tyki sighed and stood. He turned to Rhiannon and said, "I guess I'll see you at dinner. Don't disappear for another seven millennia while I'm gone." He could have sworn she grinned at his words. He ran down the steps, so to not be left behind. He slid into the carriage next to Sheril and across from the Earl, then tuned them out as they discussed politics. The drive took about half an hour, and they were at the tailor's.

Fittings took much longer than they though they would, and it's was dark by the time it was over and done with. Walking back to the carriage, Tyki saw a flash of silver in a window, and, remembering what Rhiannon was struggling with less than two hours ago, said, "I'll catch up, I just need to pick up one last thing." The others shrugged, and continued on their way to where the carriage was waiting.

* * *

I hadn't seen Tyki, the Earl, or Sheril the rest of the day, and they weren't at dinner. Tired, I went back to the music room, and played piano for an hour. When I felt like I was about to fall asleep on the keys, I went back to my room. After closing the door, I noticed a bouquet on my side table. When I went closer, I saw the flowers were all black roses, so dark they looked like crushed velvet. Next to the vase was a small brown package with a note.

_I hope this makes up for what I did earlier, and not being at dinner. Just, don't stay angry at me for long, it was never meant as an insult. I can't wait to see you at the ball tomorrow._

_Tyki._

I opened the package, not knowing what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the beautifully crafted silver comb, with crystal roses and a single drop-seed pearl hanging in the center. I grabbed a pen and slip of paper from the desk, and wrote,

_This more than makes up for it. I was never angry at you, and will be waiting in the ballroom for you tomorrow at six._

_Rhiannon._

I then walked to the library, and marked a page of his book with the folded note, about an inch sticking out of it.

* * *

**Yay, more romance! And finally, next will be the ball! Which Exorcists do you want to be there? This chapter is named after one of my favorite songs by The Rasmus, and I highly suggest you check out their music!**

***) Osel translates to ass. It's a Russian insult.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	12. Dance with the Devil

_**...Chapter Eleven: Dance With the Devil...**_

Tyki yawned and stretched, slowly walking down the second floor hall. He, Sheril, and the Earl had gotten back around midnight, way past dinner. He hadn't found Rhia in any of her usual haunts, so he had put the ebony-colored roses and hair comb on her side table, hoping she would find them before she went to sleep. He entered the library, wanting to finish one more chapter before the ball-slash-early Christmas party his brother was hosting. He was about to lose himself to the world of literature when he saw a slip of folded paper sticking out of his book. His curiosity piqued, he unfolded and read the note, written in elegant script. A soft, peaceful smile spread across his lips, and he laid the book back on the reading table. It was almost noon, which meant the servants would soon be running around the house and gardens in a panic, trying to finish the decorations for the party.

Sighing, he left to go see what he could do to help. After he had walked down the stairs to the ground floor, he saw the cloud of white powder outside, and thought, _If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a Christmas miracle. It rarely ever snows in Portugal._

* * *

After breakfast, which ended at nine, Road yanked me up two flights of stairs, into her room of horrors; a.k.a. her personal bathroom. My dress in its box, shoes, and torque were laying on the wide counter, and a warm bath was running in the tub big enough for three people.

"Get in, I'll help wash your hair~!" the pixie of a girl sang. Normally, I would refuse, but Road had burst into my room several times while I was changing, so I thought nothing of it. I relaxed as she, surprisingly, gently pulled a bone comb through my hair and massaged my scalp with lavender hair lotion. When she was done, she sent me back out in the main part of the house to let my hair dry.

I wandered down the halls into the formal dining room to see the servants bringing in another table of equal size, draping both tables in a pure white cloth, hanging pine garlands along the walls, setting out the fine silver, and putting tall, blood red tapers in the candelabras. I saw the ballroom was getting the same treatment, and two dozen circular tables had been set the same way as the two in the dining room. The head housekeeper, who had been introduced to me four days ago, ran past, and I stopped her to ask, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Oh, no, Lady, I would never ask that of you." I walked back up the stairs, to the the library, slightly disgruntled. When I got to my new favorite armchair, I saw the note I had left for Tyki was gone. Smiling to myself, I opened to the page I had left off on last night, content to read until Road found me again.

Six hours later, Road came back to drag me upstairs. In her bathroom was Lulu Bell, Lenalee, their dresses (Lenalee was borrowing one of Lulu Bell's), and my dress, still in its box. The counter was lined with cosmetics and hair curlers. Lenalee's hair was already pinned up in a chignon, and she was helping Lulu Bell with her makeup. Hers was already done, emerald green eye-shadow and pale pink lipstick, Lulu Bell's was plum eye-shadow with rose-colored lipstick.

"Sit there, and I'll curl your hair~."

"You do know that will take quite a while, right?" I raised an eyebrow at the waifish Noah.

"Yes, that's why I called you in here so early. C'mon, sit down so I can get started," she insisted. As soon as I was seated, she pulled my hair over the back of the chair she motioned to. She re-brushed my hair, now dry and in its natural loose curls. She started to create a masterpiece of curls and braids, pulled into a half-up do. Lulu Bell and Lenalee finished at least an hour before Road, and were now deciding on what colors to use for my makeup. They opted for an eye-shadow in the palest of greens, and a sheer pink lip color, with a hint of rouge. We had ten minutes before we were late, and could hear the voices of guests arriving in the foyer. We practically jumped into our dresses and heels, and sprinted down the second floor stair-case, composed ourselves in the hall, and descended the grand staircase.

* * *

Allen and Lavi had no clue how the day had ended like this. They were both in full formal suits, greeting guests like this was a normal occurrence. Kanda was predictably nowhere to be found, and Bookman was hiding in the back corner of the library. They had moved to the right of the grand staircase in the foyer, waiting for the girls to finish and come downstairs, before they could sit in the dinning room with the rest of the guests. Tyki and Sheril sauntered calmly to where the Exorcists were, perfectly comfortable in this environment.

"Don't you two look thrilled to be here?" asked Tyki, tone heavy with sarcasm.

"I can think of a few other places I would rather be," answered Allen honestly. Tyki smirked.

"You're not alone in that, but the Earl insisted I was here. Now we just wait for the girls, who should be here any second."

As if on cue, the crowd of guests still in the foyer gasped. At that moment, Road and Lulu Bell walked side by side down the steps, Road in a cupcake-style dress of aqua and lavender ruffled silk, Lulu Bell in a full-skirted, midnight-violet gown with red roses stitched along the hem. They were followed by Lenalee, who was wearing a deep emerald dress with pick-ups and darker green roses made of a similar satin as the dress. The three of them stopped in front of the men, Sheril already swooning over Road's 'adorableness'. He then broke away and asked, "But, where's Rhiannon?"

"She had to stop at her room to grab something, but said she would only be a minute. Father, can we go dance~?"

"Of course, darling!" Sheril and Road disappeared into the crowd, presumably to the ballroom, where the orchestra was starting to play a slow waltz. The remaining five stared silently at each other.

"So... I guess we wait for Rhiannon?" said Lavi awkwardly.

"Sure," answered Lenalee, and the others shrugged. The front door opened just as a gust of wind swept past, and the temperature in the foyer dropped significantly. When it was finally forced closed again, the crowd mumbled excitedly. The Exorcists and Noah glanced around, trying to see what everyone was now talking about, then, seeing them looking up, turned to see Rhiannon descending the stairs. No, not descending...

_Floating._

She walked with an elegance that cannot be taught, only hoped to achieve. Beautiful did not begin to describe the woman they saw before them. She was _transcendent._ She was wearing a work of art, a trumpet shaped dress made of ice-blue satin, the skirt overlaid with lace of the palest jade, and cap-sleeves of the same lace. The bodice was embroidered with silver thread and small crystals grouped to look like perfect snowflakes. The snowflakes seemed to fall down the bodice onto the skirt, so the dress itself looked like a flurry brought to life. She wore none of the padding that the rest of the women in attendance did. Her hair was in a complex half-up do of tiny braids and ringlets, the rest cascaded freely down her back, and the silver streaks curled over her shoulders, framing her delicate jaw. Her skirt swirled on the marble, and in the silence the room had fallen into, they could hear the faint click of heels.

_As if she needed to be any taller, _thought Tyki. The crowd parted as she passed, and she stopped in front of them. "You three look like you've seen a ghost," she said to the men.

They snapped out of their trance, and Tyki said, "Shall we go to the dinning room? I'm sure the Earl is waiting." He held out his arm to Rhiannon, who rested her hand on it. Allen and Lenalee did the same, and Lavi and Lulu Bell stared at each other briefly, before walking awkwardly with a good three feet of space between them.

Tyki turned to the woman on his left arm, and whispered, "So, what did you stop at your room for?"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed." She turned her head, and rested her fingers on her hair. More specifically, the fine silver comb and pitch black rose she had worked into the half-bun. The comb and rose he had given her. The delicate crystal roses somehow fit with the snowflakes woven into her dress. When they entered the brightly lit dinning hall, the Earl and Sheril immediately turned their attention to the three pairs walking towards them.

* * *

"Rhiannon, you look simply marvelous~!" exclaimed the Earl.

"Yes, where did you find a dress like that on such short notice?" I could tell I was blushing lightly, beyond happy to be a part of this family. My family. The Earl turned, and we followed him to the first long table. The Earl sat at the head, Sheril to his left and Tyki to his right. I was beside Tyki, Allen was on my right, and Lenalee was on his other side. Lavi and Lulu Bell were seated further down the table. When we were seated, an older gentleman four seats down from Sheril said, "Earl Millennium, who is this enchanting creature?" I saw Tyki give him a slight glare from my peripheral and coughed into my hand to hide my laugh.

"Duke Andria, this lovely young woman is Rhiannon Dragomir, a guest who is staying with us." The Earl spoke amicably.

"Dragomir, you say. Not Gregorio Dragomir's daughter?" Duke Andria's voice carried a tone of wonder.

I smiled uncomfortably, "Yes, that would be me."

Tyki nudged my arm and whispered, "Are you sure you want to be here?"

"I'll be fine." I muttered back. Just then, dinner arrived, and the Duke forgot me for the moment.

Dinner was finally over, and I was waiting for Tyki to get back from the dance floor. A rather bold, and devastatingly beautiful, woman had asked him to dance the next waltz. Without someone I knew by my side, I was getting uneasy in the crowd, and was becoming disorientated. I left the far corner to search for the Earl or Sheril. Luckily, I found Sheril within a few minutes, and sat in a chair next to him that an unknown dignitary had just left. Road was in his lap.

"Rhiannon, there you are, I was just telling of how you almost got hit with silverware the other day." Sheril had laughter in his deep voice, "I'm sure I left something out, can you help m-" he cut himself off when he saw my expression. He picked Road up off his lap and she made an indignant squawk; Sheril grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the table that the Earl was seated at. He was about to ask what was going on, when he saw the same emptiness in my eyes as Sheril, and told the other occupants of the table he would be back shortly. Sheril released my wrist and the Earl laid his hand on my mid-back. They led me from the ballroom to the foyer, Sheril grabbed my black wool coat, and we went outside into the snow. The Noah watched the falling flakes in amazement.

"Huh, snow in Portugal. This really is a strange year," Sheril mused.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" I asked. I got my answer in the warm side-hug he gave me. We walked in silence for a few minutes.

"So, my dear, can you explain what happened inside~?" asked the Earl, as we strolled down a familiar garden path, then stopped at the same fountain we had sat at the other day.

"I... I just froze. I was alright before Tyki left, and when he was gone, it felt like the walls were closing in on me." I spoke while motioning with my hands, and my voice was raising in pitch, "I haven't done well in crowds since... my parents..." I knew I was rambling, but couldn't care less. My blood felt like ice, and it wasn't because of the snowstorm.

Sheril turned back to the manor, saying, "I'll find Tyki. You obviously feel safe around him," and disappeared.

The Earl turned to me, looking me in the eyes, and said, "Do you just want to go to bed early, and get away from the party?" His usual light-hearted tone was replaced with one of complete seriousness.

"No, if I don't deal with this now, I never will. I have to do this." I was determined, and wasn't going to back down on my word.

Snow crunched, and I turned to see Tyki was walking up the path towards us, and the Earl and I stood. Without saying a word, Tyki offered his arm, and I took it, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We walked back to the manor slowly, silently. Upon entering the house, we took off our winter coats, Tyki linked his arm with mine again, and we made our way to the ballroom again. When we did, I saw the same young lady from before approaching Tyki, and she saw me. Holding onto Tyki's arm.

She glared, backed away, and angrily started whispering to a group of women in outrageous dresses, made with so many flamboyant colors they resembled tropical birds. They broke apart and started to spread the lie they had been told around the vast ballroom. The space seemed to buzz with untruth. My panic began to make its way back, and I tensed, shivering. Tyki saw this, and said, "If you can't handle the crowd, I'll take you upstairs, lock you in your room, and there will be no arguments."

I glared, then said, "Why do you care if I'm feeling alright? What do I mean to you?"

"I don't know, it's just. That dream, I keep trying to remember more, but I'm drawing a blank."

"I know the feeling." I hadn't realized how close we were standing until I saw two all too familiar faces.

"Luca, Viktor? What are you doing here?"

* * *

Tyki turned to see the two men that Rhiannon somehow knew. One was an inch shorter than him, with sharp, angular features and dark brown hair; the other was the same height as Tyki, blonde, and had features a little softer than his companion's.

The blonde one said, in utter disbelief, "_Ree!_" _Who's Ree? _thought Tyki.

"I never expected you two to be here! Is there anyone else with you?" Rhiannon released her hold on Tyki's arm and hugged the two.

"Ah, yes, I'll go find them," said the brunette, who then went to search for the rest of their party.

"Rhia, could you please introduce me to your friends?" Tyki asked, feeling like he had been shoved to the side.

"Oh, right, sorry. Tyki, this is Luca Tolstoy, and that was Viktor Volonsky. Their friends from my childhood. Luca, this," she reclaimed her hold on Tyki's arm with a tighter grip, like she was claiming him as hers, "is Tyki Mikk. His brother is the host of this party." She stared in the direction of where Viktor had walked off; he was now followed by another man and two women. "I can't believe it! Cleona, Deirdre, Gideon! It's been too long!" She embraced all of them, grinning. She turned back to Tyki, and whispered in his ear, "These are the Fae who saved my life. They distracted Alexander while I escaped, and I thought they had all been killed because of this. I owe them everything."

Suddenly, all six Fae looked to the stage in the far corner of the ballroom. They heard a melody flowing from a horn, then a harp, then the orchestra. "I remember this song... May I borrow Rhiannon for a few moments?" Luca asked Tyki. Tyki nodded, sat back at the table his brother and the Earl were seated at, and Luca led Rhiannon to the dance floor. As the song started to get louder, he recognized it, too. Waltz of the Flowers, from the Nutcracker. The three couples arranged themselves in a triangle, and when the full orchestra started to play, they began an elegant, complicated waltz. The other dancers left the floor to give them more room, and they used all they were given. They were perfectly in synch to each other and the music. The dance was comprised of complex steps, turns, lifts and jumps. As the music would soften, they would swirl closer together, then break apart to take up the whole floor. Tyki had never seen such an amazing dance. At the finale, the women were turned on their heels seven times, then they broke apart again to create a story of movement. A story of life, love, and friendship. The entire room resounded with applause. The Fae smiled, bowed, and broke apart. Rhiannon walked back to Tyki, avoiding staying in conversation for too long.

"You were amazing." She blushed and sat back down, Tyki to her left, the Earl and Sheril behind her.

"Thank you. I haven't danced like that in a long time. It brings back a lot of memories."

"All good, I hope."

She shrugged her slightly too slim shoulders. "Some good, some not."

He was about to reply, when the Duke who had tried to talk to Rhiannon and the girl he had been dancing with came up to them. "Lord Mikk, I had no idea, how splendid!"

"What are you talking about, Sir?" said Tyki. He glanced over his shoulder to see his brother and the Earl just as confused.

"About the girl, Lady Dragomir! Why didn't you introduce her as such at dinner, that would have saved me quite a bit of embarrassment!" The Duke let out a hacking laugh.

"I still don't understand quite what you mean, Sir. What about Rhiannon...?"

"That's she's your fiance! This truly is marvelous! I have to tell the others..." he trailed off and hobbled away, to where, they had no idea. The girl glared, malicious, then turned on her heel and disappeared back into the crowd.

Tyki was dumbfounded, and turned to the woman on his right. She stared, eyes blank, at the far wall, like she could see nothing in front of her, and tears were building at the corners of her eyes. "Rhia-" Before he could finish, she was running out of the ballroom. She had a head start, and the Earl, Sheril, and Tyki followed as quickly as they could through the sea of party guests. When they could see her again, she had already run out the front door, into the snow. Without her coat. The three of them yanked on their own coats, and Tyki grabbed the first thing he saw for Rhiannon. They sprinted out the door, and saw her in the distance, but the heels and snow were slowing her down, and they caught up fairly swiftly. She was shivering like a leaf in stiff wind, and her skin was quickly turning blue in the moonlight. Tears streamed freely from her eyes. Tyki grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him.

"What?" she sobbed.

"Why did you run away? You'll get sick in this weather." Tyki draped the black cloak over her shoulders, and pulled her to him. She resisted at first, then melted into his embrace. _Just like in the gardens._

"We're worried about you enough as it is without having to think about you freezing to death of all things." said Sheril, "Besides, the engagement thing was just a cruel prank, because she wanted you away from Tyki here."

"Well..." said the Earl.

They all turned to give him a death-glare. "What?" growled Tyki.

The Earl fidgeted. "She wasn't too far off." He pulled a chain out of the neck of his suit, then over his head. He handed it to Tyki, who held it up so Rhiannon could see what was hanging on it. On the chain was a simple, thin silver band, dulled with time. Tyki took the ring from his grasp and Rhiannon reached out one finger. When her finger touched the ring, they were jerked into a memory.

_"Don't turn around. I have a surprise for you!" She heard Joido say. She was seated on the bench next to the lily pond._

_"What could you possibly have to surprise _me _with?" Amusement laced her voice.  
_

_"How about... this?" He came to sit next to her, and held out a silver ring that shone in the sun like a captured star. "So, what do you say? Will you be mine forever?"_

_She grinned, tears finding tracks down her face, "Of course! You didn't even have to ask."_

The pair jerked back to the present. "We were engaged." Tyki said in wonder. Rhiannon was too shocked to say a word.

The Earl looked heartbroken, from what they didn't know. "Yes, and very much in love. Hopefully, you can find that again, and prove to that girl that you aren't someone who will be pushed to the side."

* * *

**Yay, new chapter. But, don't worry, the ball isn't over yet! Lavi has yet to do anything incredibly stupid. I'm turning sixteen on the third! And... last chapter I passed TWENTY THOUSAND FREAKING WORDS! I love you all so much, but need your help immensely. I'm getting suicidal, and might be leaving for a while. But, I will update whenever I am able.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	13. Silent All These Years

_**...Chapter Twelve: Silent All These Years...**_

Tyki and I stared at the ring long after Sheril and the Earl had gone back to the party. Neither of us knew what to say bout this new revelation. We were sitting on the rim of the fountain, and Tyki was running the chain across his fingers, not saying a word. The silence was broken only by the soft shifting of the snow in the wind.

Tyki had been leaning back on one hand when he sat up suddenly. "Let me see your hand."

"Wait, what?" I jolted around to face him, "Ten minutes of nothing, and the first thing you say is that?"

"Just give me your hand, I want to test something." I held out my right hand. "No, the other one." I hesitatingly gave him my left, and he took the ring off the long chain and slipped it on my fourth finger. I expected it to be too big, or too small, but it fit perfectly. We turned to stare, wide-eyed, at each other.

"How is this possible? This ring is seven thousand years old, how could it possibly..." The words got stuck in my throat and I shook my head in disbelief. There was too much going on at once for a single thing like this to register to me.

"I guess it's because it was your ring?" He scratched the back of his neck. "This doesn't make any sense."

_I completely agree with that. How could I not remember my own fiancee?_

"Maybe we should go back inside." I said, and Tyki nodded. As we were standing, I felt the ring started to feel warm. I glanced down- "Tyki!"

The ring was changing shape; the silver was now bright and gleaming in the moonlight, and a black pearl and two tiny rubies were set in the metal. We looked at each other, not wanting to know what would come next.

* * *

As they walked back through the front door to rejoin the party, Rhiannon's left hand on his right arm, Tyki leaned to whisper in Rhiannon's ear, "If you want to take the ring to your room, I'll wait here for you."

"I'll keep it on, for now. Is that alright with you?" Rhiannon asked nervously.

"Uh... sure?" _What could she be planning now? Does she want people to think we're engaged?_

"Only for the rest of this party. From there, it's up to you," she said hurriedly. Then, they were back with the Earl, Road and Sheril, who all immediately saw the ring on Rhiannon's slim finger. Road giggled, Sheril raised an eyebrow, and the Earl grinned.

"Rhia~, where did you get that ring~?" Road asked whilst still giggling.

"It was Seraphiel's." Road sobered instantly, and stared at her hands in her lap. Everyone who knew the true story of the ring she wore went silent. "I think she would have wanted me to wear it." Rhiannon said with a small smile.

"Right you are, and it looks even lovelier on you~." said the Earl. Sheril nodded in agreement, then asked, "Who were the five people I saw you two with earlier?"

"Some friends from my past. They know all my old stories." She didn't want to say they were Fae with humans around, but the Noah understood the true meaning of her words.

"Do you think you could introduce us?" asked Sheril.

"Of course, I just have to find them. They have a talent for disappearing." The humans at the table laughed, not knowing she was utterly serious, but the Noah knew. The three still seated told the others at the table they would be back later, and stood to follow Rhiannon and Tyki. Occasionally, one of them would stop to speak with a guest, and several times someone commented on Rhiannon's ring. Rhiannon and Tyki would chat amiably, neither confirming nor denying the engagement, keeping everyone else guessing and the Noah could tell they were enjoying the little game. Rhiannon and Tyki walked in front, the Earl, Road, and Sheril directly behind them. After fifteen minutes of wandering and aimless chatter, Rhiannon spotted the five Fae from before, as well as six others they hadn't seen before. The blonde man, Luca, saw them and nudged the others, who turned in their direction.

* * *

I couldn't even begin to describe what a shock it was to see eleven of my closest friends after three and a half years. Eleven friends I thought had been killed in cold blood for saving my sorry life. When we reached them, I asked, "Would you all like to find somewhere more private, so we can catch up on lost time?" I got a mix of nods, "Sure"'s, and shrugs. Tyki and I, still with our arms looped together, led the way through the dining room, up the grand stair case, and into the library. Road, the last one into the room, shut the door tightly behind her. When the door closed, Tyki and I broke apart. Everyone was looking at me expectantly.

"I'll try to keep this as short as possible. These people," I gestured to the Noah, who were to the left and behind me,"are the Noah, my new family. The Noah are a family of super-humans who are reborn every generation, and are the original ancestors of the human race. There are fifteen Noah, myself included. Here are Tyki Mikk, Sheril Kamelot, Road Kamelot, and the Millennium Earl. Tyki has already met Luca Tolstoy, Viktor Volonsky, Gideon Montoya, Cleona O'Grady, and Deirdre MacCleod. This," I gestured to a girl who was 5'4", had strawberry blonde hair, and ocean blue eyes, "is Fyre Blackraven, this," a girl who was 5'6", with thick, curly, rich chocolate brown hair and eyes so dark, they were nearly black, "is Svetlana Meryinsky, this," a petite girl with platinum blonde hair and sea green eyes, "is Lena Petipas."

I moved on to the men, "This," I turned my attention first to the identical twins, with messy, light brown hair and emerald-green eyes, and standing at 6'1 ", is Dante and Marco Alligheri, and this," a man with fiery orange hair, cerulean blue eyes, and who stood at 6'2", "is Ianto Tudor. They were some of my closest friends when I was a younger teenager. They were also the people who saved me from Alexander after he killed our parents."

Lena, who had been avoiding any and all eye contact with the Noah, looked up, and in a tiny and heavily accented voice, said, "New family? Why did you call them that, Ree?"

* * *

_There's that name again. Why are the calling her Ree?_

"The story of our family is rather long to tell. Would it be possible to continue this conversation another time~?" asked the Earl. The time was close to one in the morning, which meant the party was almost over, and most of the guests were gone. The Fae nodded, and Sheril and the Earl led the way back to the foyer. When they were almost to the dining room, they could hear a large crash emanating from the ballroom, and after freezing for five seconds, Sheril squeezed his eyes shut and said, "Do I want to know what that was?"

"You have two choices. The twins, or Lavi." Rhiannon replied dryly. Both suggestions appeared to horrify him. With trepidation, they continued to the ballroom. Upon reaching their destination, they were dumbstruck at the sight before them. Allen and Kanda were glaring at each other, several plates had been shattered, a candelabra was thrown on the floor, red wax dripping like blood on the cream marble, and Lavi was attempting to pull them apart. Tyki and Rhiannon exchanged a wry glance, then calmly but swiftly strode to the three male Exorcists. Tyki assisted Lavi in pulling Allen back, and Rhia yanked on Kanda's earlobe. Kanda looked like he was about to fight back, then thought better of it, and allowed himself to be pulled back.

Sheril sighed, then said, "I'll tell the last of the guests the party is over." He left for the foyer.

The Earl turned back to the Fae. "Is there any possibility you could come back tomorrow~? I'm sure you all are tired after a long journey~." As if on cue, Lena yawned. The other Fae smiled and chuckled, said their goodbyes, and left into the moonlit night. The Earl laid a hand on Rhiannon's shoulder and said, "Get some sleep, we can talk later in the morning." She, Tyki, and Road went back to their new sanctuary, the library.

* * *

"Hah, that was tiring." Tyki exhaled. I hummed in response. "So... why did they call you Ree?"

I could tell I was grimacing. "It's an old nickname my brothers used to call me."

"And you don't really like it?"

"Not particularly. It just stuck. After all, it's easier to say than Rhiannon, or any of my other names."

Road hummed. "Ya know, I've been wondering why you have so many middle names."

"Family names, passed down for many, many generations. I'm the first woman born under the Dragomir name in almost five hundred years, so I guess you could say they went all out." I said sarcastically.

Tyki snorted. "You're telling me. Your friends had some pretty interesting names, too. I thought the Tudor name had died out."

"In the human world, yes. The original Tudor family was Fae."

"Huh. Are there any others like that?"

"Ugh, too many to list." I groaned, leaning my head back against the chair. "I could spend an hour or more just trying to remember them all."

Road was pouting, tired of being ignored. "Rhia~, can we go take your hair down? It's gonna take a while, and I'm tired~!"

I smiled at her antics. "Alright, I have a hair-pin headache anyway."

Tyki smirked, and said, "Well, I'll see you ladies in the morning," then picked up his book.

Before I could answer, Road was pulling me down the hall and up the stairs to her room. She chattered happily about the party the whole way, everything from the food to the dresses the female guests wore. "And did you see the girl from Argentina? It was a lovely shade of red, but on her it looked like a tomato. How about the French Duke's wife? Her dress was really pretty, and well picked out. I loved the understated peach accents to the tangerine-colored satin, but don't you think that's more of a summer dress than a winter one?" and on and on it went. I had given up trying to answer, and was glad when we finally reached the bathroom. Lulu Bell and Lenalee were already there, washing the makeup off their skin and laying their dresses carefully back in their boxes. Road plunked me in the chair she had me in to do my hair, and set to work removing all of the pins from my very, very heavy hair. I sighed with relief when my thick curls finally cascaded between my shoulder-blades. Lulu Bell smiled, grabbed a soft-bristled brush and worked it through my hair, and it seemed, to me at least, that I was purring with delight. I struggled out of my gown, and carefully laid it in its box. Road snickered when she saw my eyes drifting closed, and sent us all out of her room to go to bed.

I half stumbled down the stairs, then nearly ran face-first into Tyki, who was just walking out of the library. "Rhiannon." He looked at my hand, "You're still wearing the ring?"

"Haven't had a chance to take it off yet."

"Oh. So, are you?"

"I guess. Why?" _This conversation just took a turn for the awkward._

"I just thought you were going to wear it often..."

_Ah. So that's what it was. _"Well, if it's okay with you, I could wear it."

"I think it would be a good thing. Anyway, I'm sure you're very tired after today." As if on cue, I yawned hard enough my jaw popped loudly. Tyki smirked and said, "I'll see you in the morning," then continued down the hall. I silently walked to my room, closed the door, laid my hair comb and rose on the side table, and shuffled to my bed in the dark. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Later that morning, I awoke to an icy blue light filtering through my curtains. I shifted out of my warm blankets and uneventfully walked downstairs. My eyebrow quirked at the sound of more voices than usual in the dining room. I suspiciously made my way through the foyer, and froze upon entry to the dining room, and the sight that beheld me. Seated at the mahogany table was my new family, the Exorcists, and...

"What are you all doing here?"

"Ah, Rhiannon~. Your friends got here about half an hour ago. Road wanted to wake you, but I asked her to wait. Perhaps now we can further explain the dynamics of our family~?"

* * *

**Finally! This chapter only took me, oh... six days to write. I'm sorry! I got writers block, I swear! Hopefully I will be back to my usual schedule now. Maybe? Anyway, please leave a review! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	14. Another Place To Call Home

_**...Chapter** **Thirteen: Another Place To Call Home... **_

Tyki had been awoken by Road bouncing on her knees on his bed, nearly landing on the scars on his right arm. He groaned, turned on his right side to see what time it was, and seeing the pale blue light just barely filtering through the curtains, decided it was too early to be awake.

"C'mon, Tyki, get up!" insisted Road.

He groaned again, this time in annoyance. Sometimes, he really hated his niece. "No. It's just barely sunrise, and the party didn't end until one thirty in the morning. Go away and let me sleep." He attempted to swat her away, but she dodged it easily.

"But... Rhia's friends are in the dining room." At this, Tyki's eyes opened to stare at the far wall. Seeing this, Road smirked.

"Alright, alright, I'm up. Now, are they really here, or are you just saying that to get me out of bed?" he said as he pushed himself up and kicked off the covers. He was still in his shirt and trousers from the party.

"Why would you think I would ever do such a thing?" Road said with false innocence. Tyki sent her a glare. "Point taken." She dropped the innocent facade and pursed her lips like someone much older than she looked, "They really are here. I wanted to wake Rhia before I woke you, but the Earl said to let her sleep."

"That's probably for the best." Tyki said with a nod. "She got the shock of a lifetime last night. Well, no point in staying in here when there are friends to interoga- I mean, get to know better." he said sarcastically.

"Hmm, I suppose you're right. What do you think they'll tell us about Rhia that she doesn't want us to know?" Road tipped her head to the side, black hair falling into her eyes.

"That depends on how we ask." Tyki stood. "We shouldn't keep them waiting for too long, now should we?" he asked with the faintest hint of a sadistic smirk on his face.

"No, I don't suppose we should," answered Road with a smile of her own. They both turned to leave, Tyki held the door for Road then put his hands in his pockets, and they followed the hall past Road's bedroom, down the third floor stair-case, pausing at Rhiannon's door where Tyki knocked softly. Receiving no answer, he and Road continued to the foyer where they saw Sheril and the twin Fae they had met the night before.

"Ah, there you are Tyki. What took so long?" asked Sheril, slightly annoyed. Sometimes, Tyki really hated his brother.

"He's stubborn and didn't want to get out of bed. Father, when do you think Rhia will wake up?" Road grabbed onto the tall Noah's hand.

"On her own time. She was awake before most of us yesterday, and, despite what she claims, I think she still isn't fully healed." Tyki had suspected the same, when he saw her limping slightly or stopping to lean on a wall or bookcase to catch her breath, but hadn't voiced it yet for fear of upsetting Rhiannon. Whatever relationship there was between them, he didn't want to strain it and have her leave with the Fae who were currently seated in their dining room. Tyki put his hands back in his pockets then turned on his heel to follow his brother to the dining room, but was stopped by one of the twins. He had no idea if it was Dante or Marco, as they were identical.

"Sorry, but could you tell me something?" Tyki nodded. "How long has Rhiannon been here?" the twin asked. Tyki thought he could hear an Italian accent in his tenor voice.

"About two and a half weeks. Not very long." Tyki shrugged noncommittally. Although this was the truth, it felt like it had been much longer. _Must be because she's a Noah. We've met before this life._

"Huh. And she didn't mention wanting to contact anyone back home?" The twin's tone was pleading.

"Not that I've heard. The way she spoke when she first came here, it seemed, to me at least, that she wasn't welcome back to her old home. And she was very surprised to see you all last night, said she thought you all hadn't made it out of the line of fire." Tyki said bluntly. He didn't want the Fae to think he would be overly chummy with them.

"I... see. Well, uh, it's been, um, nice to talk to you?"

"Marco, c'mon, everyone else is in the dining room already!" The other twin yelled from the doorway.

"I'll be right there, Dante! I guess I'll be seeing you around..." The young Fae, Marco, hung his head slightly and made his way to the dining room after his twin.

_That was too harsh... I'll have to apologize later, after I find out what Rhia is planning on doing after this._

Tyki sat in his usual place setting at the table, with Rhiannon's place between him and the Earl. The only notable difference in the place settings was the Exorcists now sat on the same side as the Noah, the Fae on the opposite side. On the side facing away from the door sat, in order, the Earl, Rhiannon's empty setting, Tyki, Road, Sheril, Devit, Jasdero, Lulu Bell, Allen, Lavi, Bookman, Lenalee, and Kanda. On the side facing the door sat, in order, a tall man with dark blonde hair and startling blue eyes who had introduced himself as Dietrich Tolstoy, Viktor, Luca, Cleona, Gideon, Dierdre, Ianto, Lena, Svetlana, Marco, Dante, Fyre, and a small young woman with white hair who had been introduced by Ianto as Lucretzia. She had yet to say a word.

The cooks were starting to bring out breakfast as Gideon, a younger looking man with dark blonde hair and cerulean eyes who stood at 5'8", was telling a story about how they had played a prank on Rhiannon's eldest brother several years ago. "And we had strung spider webs in between the fruit trees, so when he was chasing after us he would get tangled in them!" The Fae laughed heartily, "Ah, the sight of the ever composed Anatoly covered in blackberry juice and spider silk is something I'll cherish for as long as I live." At that moment, Tyki heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching from behind him, and the Fae all stood.

"What are you all doing here?" he heard Rhiannon say, and turned in his chair to face her. The rest of the Noah and Exorcists did the same.

"Ah, Rhiannon~. Your friends got here about half an hour ago. Road wanted to wake you, but I asked her to wait. Perhaps now we can further explain the dynamics of our family~?"

"Well, thank you for letting me sleep. If they want to know more, and agree to telling their side, I'm fine with it." Tyki pulled out her chair for her again, and she smiled when he pushed it back in after she had sat down. He noted that as soon as she was seated, the Fae also sat back down. _Odd. Must be because the Fae have different customs._

* * *

When I had sat down, one of the cooks ran out of the hidden door to the kitchen and set my breakfast in front of me. "Who wants to start, then?" I asked, glancing around the room.

"I guess I will." said Dietrich, who, like his brother, had a Russian accent. "As you may have guessed, Rhiannon is our leader, and a close friend to all of us. When Xander went insane upon hearing that his twin sister, and not him, would become the next leader of the Dragomir clan, we were the ones who distracted him long enough for her to escape. Where she went after this, we didn't know." He turned to me, "After you had fled, Alexander halted his attack and disappeared. No one was seriously injured."

"Well, that's a weight off my shoulders. But... does my eldest brother know that I'm here?" I met Dietrich's eyes through my lashes.

"A little trust, please. We wouldn't tell him even if he strung us up by our toenails from the rafters!" exclaimed Ianto.

I grimaced. "Thank you for that _lovely _image, Ian." I said sarcastically, shooting him a glare from the corner of my eye. He held up his hands in defense and apology.

"I'll explain a few things next, I suppose," said Sheril, to my surprise. "Rhia explained a great deal last night, but I'll reiterate for those who weren't there. We are part of a family known as the Noah, fifteen beings who are descendants of Noah himself. We are a group of people who possess supernatural powers, and have been reincarnated every generation for the last seven thousand years. Except Rhiannon, whose true name is Seraphiel, as during her first incarnation she was killed by the holder of the Heart of Innocence. I assume you know of Innocence and the Black Order." The Fae nodded. "Well, after this occurrence, none but the Earl, our leader, had any memory of Seraphiel, but the subconscious pain of losing her is what has fueled our fight with the Innocence, and, eventually, the Black Order."

Sheril looked to the Earl for confirmation. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, now that the introductions are over, please finish your breakfast~." said the Earl, who then stood and walked out, to where the other occupants of the room didn't know. I guessed he went to the library, where I had seen him for short periods of time for the last three days before the party.

* * *

For the next half hour, those who were still at the table ate and exchanged idle chit-chat, though for the most part stayed silent. _Well, this is an awkward silence if ever there was one.. _thought Tyki.

When the last plate had been cleared away, Dietrich said, "Ree... can I please speak with you? Alone." Tyki noted his pale aqua eyes flicked in his direction.

Rhiannon gave Tyki a searching glance, as if to see if he had any objections. Tyki kept his face a mask of calm, not giving away any emotion, taking another bite of his eggs. "I guess. Shall we walk in the gardens?" Dietrich nodded once silently. They both stood and walked to the foyer. Allen caught Tyki's eyes from down the table, and, after waiting for a minute, they followed the two Fae. They paused in the foyer, where they saw Rhiannon and Dietrich pulling on heavy woolen coats. When the pair had shut the front door behind them, Allen and Tyki pulled their own coats from the closet, then followed as quietly as possible, and the snow helped to muffle any sound they made. _Never have I been so glad for snow. _After rounding the corner of the house, Allen and Tyki could see the Fae, who appeared to be having a heated argument. They could hear small pieces of the conversation, and what they did hear was unsettling.

"You have to come home! We need you, Ree." Dietrich insisted.

"I know. But-" Rhiannon was cut off.

"Don't you think about what will happen if you don't come back? Are you planning on abandoning your people?" Rhiannon hung her head in shame. Tyki and Allen slunk back around the corner and into the manor.

"This isn't good. If she leaves, the Earl won't be able to look any of us in the eye again." said Tyki, panic building in his eyes, fearful of what this news would do to the patriarch of the Noah clan.

"Yeah, and Road will go an a rampage if she finds out her new 'sister' is gone," remarked Allen. Tyki didn't know which terrified him more. The two whipped around when they heard the doorknob turning, looked back at each other, then sprinted up the stairs, down the hall, and into the library, firmly shutting the door behind them. "That was a little too close." exhaled Allen.

"Agreed. Think she saw us?"

"I doubt i-"

"Tyki! Where are you, we need to talk!" Rhia's voice echoed up the stairs and off the walls.

"Uhh..."

"You're on your own." said Allen, who then took off to his own room on the third floor. Tyki stood frozen in the center of the library, once a sanctuary, now a trap. There wasn't a single place in the room that wasn't visible from the door, as all the bookcases were pushed against the walls to make room for the over-stuffed chairs and sofas. He was cornered, and didn't want to face Rhiannon after what he had just heard. Even the _thought_ of losing her again was devastating. When he heard her footsteps approaching the library door, he panicked, and at the last second when the knob was turning, used his Choose ability to pass through the floor. He landed in the dining room, where he nearly toppled over his older brother.

"Tyki, what the hell-" Tyki slapped a hand over Sheril's mouth, and the older man glared like he was planning his brother's funeral right then and there.

"I need to hide. Rhia's looking for me, and she's really mad, and I can't let her find me!" he was rambling, and he didn't care. Seeing his younger brother so off-balance was a rare thing indeed, so Sheril simply ushered him into the ballroom, and, hearing someone drawing nearer, closed the door enough that Tyki could not be seen but could still hear the ensuing conversation. As soon as Sheril was ten feet from the door, Rhiannon burst into the room, obviously searching for someone.

"Sheril! Have you seen Tyki? I really need to talk to him," there was an edge to her voice Tyki couldn't understand.

"No, I haven't seen him since breakfast. Why, what's wrong my dear?" Sheril lied smoothly, not giving away any hints.

"He heard something he shouldn't have, but he didn't hear all of it, and I need to explain." Tears started building audibly in her voice, causing it to crack. Tyki hated himself for being the source of her pain. "I just really need to find him, I, " she sobbed, "I can't lose him again." At this point, Tyki leaned his head just barely around the door to see what was going on. Sheril had pulled Rhia into a tight hug, muffling her crying.

"Go upstairs, I'm sure you'll find him." Sheril said as he released her. She nodded numbly, turned, and ran back to the foyer. When she was out of sight, Tyki pushed the door open, and was about to say something when Sheril cut him off and pointed towards the doorway. "Do not say a word. Just go." Without a reply, Tyki followed Rhiannon at a jog. She wasn't in the foyer or on the staircase, so he made his way to the second floor. He first went to the music room, and, not finding her there, went to the library. _Damn. She's not here either. Must be on the third floor. _Tyki thought. As he exited the library, he spotted her walking down the opposite hall, head hanging, a soft, sad sigh escaping her lips. She didn't look up, even when Tyki started running to her, keeping her eyes on her feet.

As she was about to open her bedroom door, Tyki shouted, "Rhia!" and her head snapped up, just in time for Tyki to wrap his right arm around her slender waist, place his left hand behind her head, and kiss her on the lips, with more force than he originally intended. She didn't hesitate to kiss back, and Tyki could taste her tears. When they broke apart, Tyki said, "Well, at least I got to do that before you left."

Rhiannon huffed through her nose in annoyance. "That's what I wanted to tell you. I'm not leaving."

"You're not? But... I heard what Dietrich said. Aren't you going to help your family back home?"

"Sometimes you can be really dense, I hope you know that." She gave him a dry look, "I told him that the Noah are my family, that _this_ is my home. I'm not leaving you." He could hear the sincerity in her words, and as an answer, Tyki embraced her again. Neither of them wanted to break away until they heard a creak on the floorboards further down the hall. They turned their heads to see a dumb-struck Marco.

"So it's true, then. You're picking them over us." Marco's voice cracked in grief.

* * *

**And the plot thickens! I am so sorry for the long wait. My only explanation is... I forgot how to fanfiction. I think a little clarification is needed on the placement of rooms. On the ground floor is the foyer, kitchens, dining room, formal sitting room, and attached through the French doors is the ballroom. On the second floor is Rhia's room, Lulu Bell's room, Lavi and Bookman's shared room, the library, music room, Sheril's study, informal sitting room (think a family room), and four guest rooms. On the third floor is the Earl's room, Tyki's room, Road's room, the twins shared room, Lenalee's room, Allen's room, Kanda's room, Sheril's room, and eight empty bedrooms for the remaining Noah. I'll try to update soon, but school is coming up, so it will be slower. And, I'm back to almost three thousand words this chapter. Also, have any of you noticed a change in my writing style? Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	15. Heartache Tonight

_**...Chapter Fourteen: Heartache Tonight...**_

"Marco. What.. Wait, it's not what... Please let me explain!" I stuttered, not knowing what to say to console him, as I could see tears building in his jewel-toned eyes.

"What is there to explain?" he exhaled, words barely audible. His previously devastated face went stoic, and he straightened to his full height. "This is your decision to make. Nothing we can say will change that." He turned on his heel and descended the stairs, presumably to tell the other Fae the news.

I huffed through my nose again, beyond exasperated with all the twenty-something men in the manor who didn't know how to listen through to the end of a conversation. "Why does no one ever listen to me?" I grumbled. I started after him, thought of something, or someone, else, spun back around, and pointed at Tyki accusingly, "And you!" He looked taken-aback and pointed at himself questioningly. "Yes, you. Follow me. You all need to hear this, so we need to find the rest of the family." When he heard this he simply nodded solemnly, as the Noah were used to me calling them that by now.

We started by knocking on the bedroom door of Lavi and Bookman, which was one down from the library (they no doubt chose this room on purpose). The door cracked open just as I knocked on the door of Sheril's study, which was just across the hall. "Wha's goin' on?" slurred Lavi, sleep heavy in his voice. I saw Tyki shrug, just as clueless. Sheril opened the door, the Earl visible behind him, and I could read the question in his amber eyes. "Please go to the dining room. I'm calling a family meeting." He raised an eyebrow, obviously confused about my sudden change in emotion, but chose to not question it. He turned to look at the Earl, who nodded silently, and they both walked past me to the stairs, Lavi and Bookman trailing behind them. Next, I knocked on Lulu Bell's door, which she opened almost immediately. Her blonde hair was pulled over her right shoulder and her eyes were obscured by dark glasses. "I'm calling a meeting, so please go to the dining room." She nodded and left, staying silent.

I heard someone shift their weight behind me, and turned to see Tyki standing awkwardly. "We need to get everyone from upstairs, too. I'll take the left, you take the right?"

* * *

Tyki and Rhia were racing through the top floor of the house, knocking on bedroom doors and explaining what was going on to those on the other side of them, and trying to keep track of everyone. The last door on the North end of the hall was Road's, and her face split into a grin upon seeing Tyki and Rhiannon standing at her door. Her smile fell when she saw their serious expressions.

"Can you come downstairs with us? I need to talk to everyone, and it would be easier if you're all in one place," she spoke kindly and held out her right hand, which Road gladly took. Rhiannon turned to Tyki, who raised an eyebrow. She glared slightly, then swept past him to walk down the stairs, Road still attached to her. When Road passed his, she gave him that annoying, knowing glance. Tyki shook his head lightly, causing his long curly hair to brush his forehead, then followed. On the second floor he saw Road and Rhiannon half way to the grand staircase. Road started to skip while still holding Rhiannon's hand, and she stumbled, nearly falling over. Rhiannon laughed, and Tyki couldn't help but stare. Her laugh sounded more like wind-chimes than any sound he had ever heard a human make. When he saw Road pouting, he just had to smile.

"Did you ladies plan on leaving without me?" Rhiannon turned to see him standing with his hands in his pockets over her shoulder, laughter still in her eyes. She grinned and held out her left hand, and Tyki jogged over to twine his fingers with hers. When he did, he saw she was still wearing the black pearl ring, and gave her a questioning look. She shrugged, then motioned with her head in the direction of the staircase. As they walked, Road swung her and Rhiannon's arms back and forth, until they got to the stairs. Road instantly let go and slid down the banister, giggling all the way. Rhiannon rolled her eyes at her antics, but Tyki read something deeper. "So, what's going through you mind right now?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing.. It's just.." She stared at her feet as they descended the stairs.

"Don't go all silent on me now. I thought you had gotten over that." He nudged her arm and she sighed heavily.

"I had been hoping to not get any of you involved in this. I don't want to lose my family again." Rhiannon still refused to meet his gaze.

Tyki stopped in the middle of the foyer, tugging on her hand to turn her to face him. Confusion was written in her eyes. "We're much stronger than you are giving us credit for, Rhiannon. And besides, the other Noah are soon to awaken, and will no doubt join us in the fight." Confusion was replaced with gratitude. Tyki openly stared into her violet and cerulean cat-like eyes, feeling like he could drown in their depths, when loud voices echoed through the foyer from the dining room. Rhiannon sighed.

"I guess we should get this over with," she groaned. Tyki chuckled again, then led the way to the dining room. She paused in the doorway, tensing.

Tyki squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You'll be alright. I know you will."

* * *

When I had walked through the doorway, I saw the Noah, Exorcists, and Fae sitting as they had been less than two hours before, but this time the Fae were arguing amongst themselves. In Irish. The Noah and Exorcists were looking on in a dazed silence, clearly not understanding a word. Even the mild-tempered Lucretzia was in on it. I caught the gist of the argument, though some of it was garbled with so many voices overlapping each other. Mostly it was Dietrich, Viktor, and Cleona being yelled at by everyone else for, in their words, 'driving me away from our people'. Dietrich for being the cause of it, and Viktor and Cleona for defending him. As we got closer, the fight became more heated, some of them standing nose to nose.

"Hey, guys-" no one heard me.

"Guys!?" still nothing.

"_Guys!_" Ianto grabbed Viktor's collar.

"_Go leor*!_" Everyone's eyes snapped to where I was standing, about ten feet inside the room, still a ways away from the table. "I didn't call you all here so you could fight!" I said in English.

Ianto turned his anger on me. "No, you didn't. You called us in here so you could tell us why in the _hell _you're leaving your people to die!"

_And now everyone hates me, apparently... _"That's what I want to talk to you all about. I'm not leaving you alone in this fight," Road tried to protest, "but I belong here, with the Noah. As soon as this is over, I'm going home." I said as I sat down, Tyki sitting next to me. The Fae were completely dumbstruck.

"Well... then what about us? Why are we here?" asked Lavi.

"I wanted to ask you, the Exorcists, if you would be willing to help us."

"And why should we?" growled Kanda, glaring at me from his peripheral. "All you've been to us is trouble. First, we lose a potential lead for a new piece of Innocence, then we get kicked out of the Order. All because of you."

"You say that as if you _wanted_ to be an Order member! And don't go blaming Rhia for this!" shouted Allen.

"You're right, it isn't her fault," agreed Kanda, surprising everyone who knew him.

"Wait, you're actually agreeing with me?" asked Allen, cocking his head to the side.

"It's not Rhiannon's fault. It's yours, for coming up with that dumb-ass idea in the first place!"

"Ladies, you're both beautiful, now _shut. Up!_" I deadpanned. Both turned to me with differing states of disbelief on their faces. Allen looked honestly confused, while Kanda glared like he was planning my imminent demise. He probably was.

Lenalee cut off whatever he would try to say, "We'd be glad to help in any way we can, Rhia." Bookman and Lavi nodded in agreement.

"Earl, what are your thoughts on the matter?"

"Well, I'm sure the family would be happy to assist." said the Earl. The Noah all gave me _you're kidding me, right _looks, getting their point across very well.

"Now that that's settled, there's still the matter of training. I'm rather out of practice, and we need to see what everyone is capable of."

"Are ya sayin' we aren't tough enough to fight a few Fae?!" raged Devit.

"Yeah, we're tough, hee!" echoed Jasdero.

"That's not what I'm saying at all." I held up a placating hand, "What I meant was the Dark Fae are much different than anyone you have fought before. For one, they don't have a _shred _of humanity, nor do they pretend to. They are taught Dark magics from birth. They train in brutal conditions for years, sometimes centuries, and the higher-ups focus only on military precision. The lower ranks, the foot soldiers if you will, have been brain-washed to listen to their instincts alone, and are as blood-thirsty as they come. Tyki, Road, and the Exorcists have experienced this first-hand."

Everyone turned to those I had named. "It's true," said Allen,nodding sadly. "They fought like they hadn't ever done anything else in their lives, and their eyes..." he trailed off.

"Their eyes were dead. They felt nothing, and none of our attacks seemed to hurt them." Road finished his sentence, her expression haunted. Seeing her like this was very worrying, as far from her normal, peppy goth, giggly, lovably petulant self as could be. Tyki and Sheril rested comforting hands on her shoulders, then Road pulled herself into Sheril's lap. Normally this would result in a squeeing fit from Sheril, but he was uncharacteristically serious.

Dietrich looked on with a carefully blank expression. "I guess it's settled then. Is there a near-by forest that can be used for practices?" he asked Sheril.

"Ah, yes! Just behind the gardens is a forest that's been abandoned for centuries." The aforementioned Noah shrugged, "The locals believe it to be haunted, so they'll avoid going there at all costs."

"Perfect," said Ianto with a wicked grin.

Kanda stood, his chair scraping on the marble floor, and scoffed. He stalked out of the room, and I could hear his boots on the stairs.

"Well, now that Mr. Tall, Dark, and Snarky has left, who's ready to get started?" I asked. Lavi, who had just taken a sip of water, chocked, water spraying out his mouth and nose. The other Exorcists simply stared, too shocked for words. "What?" I asked innocently, blinking several times in confusion.

"You just... summed up his personality very well, is all." said Allen, blinking rapidly as well. I nodded silently, standing to leave for the newly dubbed training grounds, Tyki close behind.

"Rhia, wait!" I heard from behind me when I had reached the doorway. I turned just in time to catch a large black bag before it could hit me in the face. "I think you'll be wanting that," said Dietrich, the first semi-kind thing he had said to me all day. Based on the weight, I could guess just what it was. Tyki gave me a questioning look.

"I'll be right back, I just need to take a short trip to my room," I said, giving his hand a short squeeze. I just barely caught Dietrich's glare to Tyki as I left.

* * *

Tyki leaned against the wall of the foyer to the right of the door, as far from Dietrich as possible. Allen stood next to him, as the two had developed a strange friendship over the last two and a half weeks. Something along the lines of _You don't kill my friends, and I won't kill your family, and we can both still be close to Rhia. _This was something both parties had agreed to, and had discovered that they had more in common than being very good at (cheating in) poker.

"D'you have any idea what she's doing?" drawled Tyki.

"Not the foggiest." answered Allen.

"Tykiii, I'm _borrredd!_" yelled Road, jumping on her uncle's shoulders.

"I'm sure Rhia'll be back soon," he said comfortingly. There was nothing worse than a bored Road.

"Yeah, can't be too much longer now," said Lavi, coming up next to Allen. As he said this, they heard a door shut on the second floor, and the distinct click of heels. When Rhiannon rounded the corner, Tyki's mind went utterly blank. "Uh... Is that her?" mumbled Lavi, pointing rudely.

Tyki could swear he didn't know the woman descending the stairs. She was wearing black leather pants, four-inch heeled, thigh-high black boots with red lacing, and a pure white, strapless corset with a thin silver chain wrapped several times through the belt loops sewn onto it, with an intricate braid/bun. As she was walking, she pulled black fingerless gloves up above her elbows. A bow and quiver were strapped across her back, and a gun was holstered to her right thigh. Her lips were painted a deep red and her eyes were darkened with kohl. When she was about twelve feet from where they were standing, dumbstruck, she took her eyes off her gloves to meet Tyki's gaze. When their eyes met, he confirmed it was in fact Rhiannon.

"What. Is this really so shocking?" she asked with her head tilted to the side, grinning at them and braid swinging.

"Uh... yeah, a bit." said Tyki.

Dietrich sighed loudly, then said, "So, what are we gonna do to test their abilities."

"Hmm, how about... Capture the Flag?"

* * *

**Yay, update! If any of you want more detail on Rhia's hair, Google the Mord'Sith from Legend of the Seeker. It's pretty close. For any of you who may be thinking I just turned Tyki into a total romantic and messed with his character too much, please remember he's been waiting for this girl for over seven thousand years. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. And I kinda turned Rhiannon into a crybaby... Oops. A little explanation is needed on that. Before she came to live with the Noah, she lived in a very sexist society, with four older brothers. She's always been told she wouldn't amount to much, and the only thing she could truly control were her emotions. The only way she could break out of that was to join the army, and that's how we find her now. Anyway! School has sort of started for me, so updates will be slower. Please leave a review, that's what makes being an author so great! Loves to all! And, the title for this chapter will make more sense later.**

***1) Enough! in Irish.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	16. Fun With Split Personalities

_**...Chapter Fifteen: Fun With Split Personalities...**_

"How would Capture the Flag test our abilities, Rhia~?" Road asked me, clambering off Tyki's back. Allen and Lavi had yet to break out of their shock. As soon as she had climbed down she latched onto my hand.

"Well, our version of Capture the Flag isn't what you're used to." I said as I steered the pixie of a girl back to the dining room, the others close behind. "It started as a training exercise for the military back in the Capitol of the Fae empire. I'll explain more when we're with everyone." Road silently nodded. My eyes flicked to the male occupants of the room. "Wake up, boys, you'll catch flies."

Allen shook his head, presumably to clear it. "Uh... Sorry." He smacked Lavi on the back of the head. They stayed close behind me until we entered the dining room, where the other Noah, Fae, and Exorcists were seated in an awkward silence. When my heels were heard, everyone looked up sharply. Several pairs of eyes widened comically.

"What the f-" Devit was cut off by Sheril slapping a hand over his mouth.

"Language!"

The only one unaffected was the Earl. "May I ask why you called us all here, my dear~?"

I motioned for those with me to sit down, and I followed suit, addressing the Noah and Exorcists. "This war is fast approaching, and I still have no idea of the extent of your abilities. I have decided that, to do this, we will play a little game."

"Game? I like games! But, how will that help us, hee?"

I gave Jasdero a kind smile, probably lessened by the dark make-up. "The game we will be playing is Capture the Flag. Our version, anyway. It has the same basic principles, in that there's two teams, each with a flag, and the other team trying to take it back to their side of the field. But, we go all out. As long as you don't kill anyone, or permanently harm them, anything goes."

"Really?! Sweet!" shouted Devit. The Noah all gained slightly sadistic expressions, the Exorcists looked hesitant, while the Fae looked on, apathetic.

"And how will the teams be split?" questioned Viktor, his baritone voice rumbling in the air.

"Well, how about we decide that now?"

* * *

Allen openly stared at Rhiannon, Tyki doing the same, as she stood and turned, walking around the table to lean against the wall, giving off an air of disinterest. "We'll need two team captains-"

"You!" Devit and Jasdero immediately cut in.

She raised a delicate eyebrow. "Any objections?" Receiving no dissension, she continued, "And the other?"

"Dietrich," said Ianto and Cleona in unison. Tyki and Sheril shared a glance.

Dietrich stood and leaned forward with his palms flat on the table, "Alright, then. Now to pick the teams."

"If you don't mind, I won't be participating in this," cut in the Earl.

"I'll sit out as well," said Bookman. Lavi groaned. "Aw, c'mon Panda-" Bookman slapped him upside the head. He and the Earl stood, parting from the group still in the dining hall.

"Would you care to go first?" Rhia asked Dietrich with a sugary sweet smile.

He sighed, pushed his chair back and walked to lean next to the fellow captain. "I suppose." He gave the occupants of the room a once-over, then called out, "Tyki."

Allen saw Tyki's head snap up, then he turned, incredulous, to meet Rhiannon's eyes, but she was inspecting her nails. Allen would swear he saw her left eye twitch.

Tyki stood and walked to stand to the left of Dietrich. _Just what is he thinking? _Tyki thought.

"Hmm... Road." Rhiannon shot back, going back to her nails. The aforementioned Noah stood to stand on Rhia's right.

"Um, alright then, I choose... Allen."

"Sheril." _Uh, oh. _Sheril's over-protectiveness of Road was well known among the Noah and Exorcists, and now, apparently, to Rhiannon. _Just what is she planning? _As Sheril passed Tyki, he gave him a confused look, to which Tyki simply shrugged. _Does he really expect me to know her thought process?_

"Dante." Those who had their name called were now lining up in opposite directions along the wall next to their team captain.

"Kanda," countered Rhiannon, Allen noticeably blanching. Kanda offered him a glare as he passed.

"Gideon." Dietrich shot back.

"Lena." Tyki cocked his head to the side. All the others on her team so far were very powerful, either physically or mentally, and yet she had picked such a small, fragile looking girl?

Dietrich growled under his breath. "Jasdero."

"Lulu Bell." Rhiannon started to pick something out from under a nail, earning a disgusted look from Dietrich. She simply smiled, expression tranquil.

"Viktor." The Fae on his team visibly brightened.

Rhiannon just kept inspecting her nails, "Devit." _Oh, great. Those two are useless separated. Wait... _Tyki narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"Lavi."

"Luca." _Is she just splitting up the brothers?_

"Fyre."

Rhiannon finally looked up from her nails, but only her eyes moved. The effect of the jewel-like eyes shining through her dark lashes was rather eerie. "Lucretzia."

The Fae visibly gulped. Dietrich blanched and shifted his weight to both feet. "Uh... um," he stuttered. "Uh, Cleona." He blinked rapidly and shook his head, fine blonde hair flying out.

Rhiannon moved to cross her legs and arms, still leaning against the wall, seemingly without a care in the world. She held Dietrich's eyes, "Marco."

_She is definitely splitting up the brothers. _"Lannie."

"Lenalee."

"Deidre."

"Ianto." And with that, the teams were complete.

* * *

I glanced at what the other Fae were wearing. "You'll want to change into your uniforms. It'd be difficult to fight in these conditions while wearing formal clothes," I said, sniffing with distaste.

"Hn. I guess you're right," remarked Ianto, looking at the fine shirt and slacks he was wearing. His smile was dazzling, "Give us, oh, thirty minutes, and we'll be back?"

"Alright. I'll use the time to find a map of the forest. I'll mark off the boundaries for the game." I stood up straight and walked to the doorway without looking back once. I could tell Allen and Tyki were following me, so I made my way up the stairs and to the library. Once I heard the click of the latch, I asked, "Any idea where I'd find a map?"

Tyki walked to one of the farthest cases from the door where one shelf was full of scrolls. If he hadn't shown me, I probably would have missed it. "This is the one of the surrounding area," he said, pulling a long, tightly rolled map out of the pile. "It's called the Bussaco, and it's a mix of tropical plants and deciduous trees. By now, there'll be over a foot of snow..." Tyki mused while tapping his chin with the map in his right hand.

"I grew up in Russia. One foot of snow is early Spring to me." I deadpanned, my face pulled into a bored frown. I grabbed the map from him and unrolled it, using books as paperweights. _Hmm, there's a large number of ruins that could be used as bases. Wait, don't think of that yet, just find the division line. There's an old footpath that runs along a stream, we could use that. It curves in a pretty wide arc, circling a small mountain. It's perfect. _

"Alright, I found the field." I called to Tyki and Allen, who had been whispering to each other by the door while I was absorbed in the map. "See this stream here, surrounding the mountain?" They walked over to me, nodding when they saw what I was pointing out, "That'll be where the game will take place. We'll split it along this latitude line." I pointed to a line running halfway across the map. When they again nodded their acceptance, I re-rolled the map, placed the books back on their shelves, and strode out to the staircase.

* * *

"So, I'll be competing against you," said Tyki when he had caught up with the tall woman.

"It would appear so," she said, sarcasm lacing her voice. Tyki heard it and rolled his eyes.

"This should be interesting. You split up all the brothers... Why did you do that?" asked Allen, cocking his head to the side.

"Your brother knows you best, so they'll also know your weaknesses." Rhiannon replied with a shrug.

_Huh. So, she has this all planned out. _Tyki saw the Fae standing rather awkwardly in the entry hall, and, sighing, went to stand with what would be his team.

"Did you find the field?" said Dietrich.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" snapped Rhia, her left eye twitching again. She unrolled the map and traced out the decided area. When she and Dietrich had picked which cardinal direction, East or West, their team would be on, Rhiannon walked to stand among her team.

"Do you have any problem fighting against your fellow Exorcists?" Allen barely heard her say to Kanda.

"None at all." Allen paled again, knowing the extent of his fighting capability.

Rhiannon smirked. "Perfect. We'll get along famously." She turned, her braid swinging, pulled on a white cloak, and sauntered out the front door.

* * *

**I'm finally back! So very, very, _very_ sorry for the long wait. I have no idea what happened, but the hiatus is hopefully over. I'm pretty sure the title of this chapter is self-explanatory. Please read and review!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	17. In The Shadows

_**...Chapter Sixteen: In The Shadows...**_

The crowd of Noah, Fae, and Exorcists all grabbed their coats or cloaks and poured out the front door. When Tyki caught sight of Rhiannon again, he saw she was standing next to two silk flags on tall silver poles that were stuck into the ground, one red and one white. The red flag had a white phoenix embroidered in the center, the white was emblazoned with a red dragon. At this point, Tyki noticed that the Fae all wore similar clothes, the women all with shorts or tight leather pants and a shirt with three-quarter length bell-sleeves, the men with looser pants and a tight, long sleeved shirt. Only Rhiannon, Dietrich, Ianto, Dante, and Viktor wore white shirts, and only Rhiannon wore a corset. Everyone else wore all black. He also saw that while Dietrich's team was mainly muscle, Rhia's team, with the exception of Sheril and Ianto, were lithe or athletic.

"I assume you all know the rules?" Rhiannon asked, receiving a smattering of nods, a few _yes_'s. Dietrich handed out arm bands, white or red, to the designated teams. Rhiannon's voice took on the tone of a military drill Sargent and she began pacing in the snow, "Alright, that saves me a little time. Dietrich, your team is now Team Phoenix. My team, we are Team Dragon. We will be using the Northern sector of the Bussaco forest as our field. The land is marked off on one side by an unnamed stream, the other by an ill-used foot path. The forest contains a scattering of old ruins, and there's a small mountain in the center. You win by capturing the opposite team's flag, or taking out their captain. Any questions?" Lenalee raised her hand hesitantly. "Yes?"

"How will we know if we've brought the flag back to our team's side?" Lenalee said as everyone pulled on their arm bands.

"Before the game starts, a veil of energy will be placed along the 40th* latitude line, and along the stream and footpath, to mark off the boundaries. The veil itself will be blue in color, and has a faint glow."

"And how can we be sure a human won't walk into the playing field?" Lulu Bell queried.

"The spell includes a force field to keep anyone we don't want in, out." A small contralto said from near the back of the group. All eyes turned, shocked, to the tiny form of Lucretzia. "Only a Fae of equal power can cancel it."

Rhia nodded, "Anyone else?" she said as she handed a black cuff with an unreadable symbol to Dietrich. _Must be the Captain's band._

"Yeah," yelled Devit, "What's the time limit?"

"Time limit, hee!" Jasdero predictably echoed.

Rhiannon's smile turned positively evil, "As much time is needed."

"Good luck, _krolik*. _You'll need it!" Dietrich called, his words taunting.

Rhiannon's left eye twitched yet again, "Anyone else?" she ground out.

Seeing no more hands raise, she motioned to her team, spun on her thin heel, and disappeared into the woods. The Dragons were close behind, Ianto pulling the flag up as he went. Tyki was about to follow when Dante caught his arm.

"We wait for ten minutes, since they have a longer walk." Dante said at his questioning look. Tyki nodded silently. Rhia's team was on the West side of the forest, the farthest from the house.

The sun started to set, an hour early, and the temperature was dropping well below freezing. "Damn, am I glad that we have three Generals on our side," said Gideon absentmindedly.

"Wait... what do you mean by Generals?" asked Tyki.

Gideon noticeably paled, "She didn't tell you..."

"Who didn't tell us what?"

Gideon backed away, shaking his head, "Shouldn't have said that. Should not have said that..." He continued to back away, muttering in Irish. Dietrich, who hadn't heard the conversation, shouted that it was their turn to find a base.

_Just what was that about Generals? _Tyki pondered, then noticed for the second time that Rhia, Dietrich, Dante, Viktor, and Ianto had been the only ones wearing white.

* * *

I trudged up the second, steeper foot-hill, the snow slowing my team's progress. _I really should have chosen a spot with less hills... _My feet were numb from melted snow seeping into my boots.

"_Tia*_, how much farther?" asked Road, not having nearly as much difficulty as I was, Sheril even less. Kanda acted like the snow was a minor disturbance, like if he pretended it wasn't there, he would have no issue what-so-freaking-ever, and trudged ahead of all of us. _Sometimes I wonder about that guy. Sometimes he seems so human, and others so very, very not._

Right then, Ianto caught up to me. "Did he just call you 'bunny'?" he asked, slightly winded from the climb and cold.

"It would seem he still hasn't dropped the ridiculous nickname." I replied to Ianto first. "Not much farther, _malyutka*._" Road grinned at the nickname.

"Did he really call you bunny, Rhiannon?" asked Sheril, saying the words slowly.

"Yes, why?" My brows knit together.

"Whatever you do, do _not_ let Tyki know that's what it meant." I stopped my ascent, and the others passed me before pulling back to stand around me.

"You do know he'll be curious enough to ask someone, right? And Allen speaks Russian..."

"...Damn." Sheril hung his head and continued up the hillside.

_What was that all about? Stop, Rhia, no time to think about that, worry about finding a base before midnight*. Think, where were those ruins you saw on the map?_ I had no doubt that Team Phoenix had already found their base, and the snow covered hill simply had a vendetta against me. _It would be so much faster to go through the trees... Sadly, not everyone can do that. And this area has absolutely no canopy. _At that moment, the cloud that had been covering the moon passed, offering the reflected, pure white light of the waning moon. In the bright light, an old, decrepit castle was in full view of the mountain. The ruin had enough clear space surrounding it to provide visibility on all sides. That would be very helpful in the coming hours.

I called out to my team, "There it is! Ianto, put the flag in the center of the courtyard!"

* * *

Tyki was stuck in his thoughts, following behind Allen mindlessly. Dietrich led them deep into the tree line, seeming to wander aimlessly until they reached a mesa that had once had a stone building on it, judging from the paving stones and steps carved into the rock leading up to it. In the center of the mesa was a single eucalyptus tree, the medicinal smelling leaves long gone. The tree itself still had a long way to grow, as it was only fifteen feet tall, compared to the eighty* of it's neighbors.

"We'll set up camp here. Deirdre, get the flag up into that tree!" Dietrich pointed to the eucalyptus.

"Yessir!"

Dietrich checked his watch, "All of you wait here, I have to assist with the barrier," he said over his shoulder as he descended the stone stairs. "Wait for a single gunshot to head out."

Fifteen minutes later, his curiosity finally got the better of him, and Tyki turned to ask Allen, "I know you speak a little bit of Russian, so what did Dietrich call Rhia, and why did it make her uncomfortable?"

Allen, who had just sat down on one of the few patches of dry ground, shifted, well, uncomfortably. He didn't answer immediately, and when he did his words were hushed, "He... he called her bunny... I'm guessing it made her uncomfortable because she's kinda with you." Allen traced shapes on the dusty flagstones, refusing to look up.

"..._Bunny_." Allen nodded hesitantly, still staring at the ground. "Are you sure that's it?"

"Positive."

Before Tyki could reply, a gunshot rang through the air, breaking the silence of the evening. Team Phoenix jumped, and after a brief discussion, picked Lavi, Cleona, and Svetlana to stay back and guard the flag. The remainder of the team sprinted off to the West, Tyki silently seething.

_Just what the hell is he trying to pull?_

* * *

I met up with Lucretzia, Viktor, and Dietrich in the center of the woods to set up the barrier. When we got there Dietrich gave me a rather mischievous look.

"You sure you're ready for this, _krolik_? We wouldn't want you to get hurt, now would we?" I could see Lucretzia and Viktor setting up the barrier out of my peripheral.

"I would appreciate it greatly if you would drop that ridiculous nickname. The ring on my hand isn't simply for show." I kept my voice clipped and professional. His expression changed to one I couldn't quite understand, a mix of distrust and contempt. Before he could say anything else, I assumed it would be an insult directed at Tyki, the barrier was finished. "If that's all, I have a game to win."

"As if." Dietrich glowered fiercely at me, and Viktor gave him a worried side-glance.

Smirking, I walked back to the abandoned castle, Lucretzia at my heels, but still at a respectful distance. When we had been walking for roughly five minutes, I unholstered the revolver from my thigh, pointed it at an upwards angle at a tree, and fired one round. The loud crack of the shot resounded off the distant mountains.

"Lu, head on ahead and set your webs, just make sure you aren't seen. I'll go back and find Ianto. When you're done, find Lena and stick together."

"Yes, ma'am." The sprite of a girl, much lighter on her feet than one would think, sprinted off to set the traps needed. Her feet seemed to float over the snow, but I knew that she was really running on the thin wires she had strung out along the way. Her control over wires had been what dubbed her Cobweb, her code-name if you will, among the Military circles of the Fae.

_Wait, did I ever tell Tyki and Allen about me being in the Military?_

* * *

Tyki ran full stop through the dense forest, leaving deep impressions in the snow. He glanced sideways at Allen whose coat was snapping in the breeze they created. In front of them ran Dietrich, and behind them Viktor, Dante, Gideon, and Fyre. At a signal from Dietrich, the group fanned out to surround the base, the moon reflected in the oval pond. The silk banner stood tall and proud near the center, virtually unguarded. Only two of Team Dragon's members were in the small clearing, closed in on all sides by dense brush. Tyki narrowed his eyes with suspicion.

_Why do I get the feeling this is too easy? Rhia never struck me as the no brains, all brawn type..._

With Allen to his right and Gideon to his left, Tyki crouched in wait of the team leader's signal. The blonde motioned his team forward, palm to the side and two fingers pointed like a gun, by flicking his wrist three times. At this, the group charged out of hiding, the Fae drawing various weapons. _Jeez, they really are serious about this game... _Dietrich ran through the shallow pond, sword raised, battle cry echoing through the trees, and swung at the man Tyki now recognized as Ianto, his Irish-red hair glowing in the moonlight. The other, Luca, whipped around at the noise, and-

Dissipated in a cloud of black smoke when Dietrich's sword fell on his companion. Ianto and the flag did the same, leaving behind the faintest scent of lilies and rain. _Rhia's scent..._

"Dammit! Get out of the water!" The panic was audible in Dante's voice. Viktor, who was near the opposite end of the pond, was too far away to react in a timely fashion. A crackle filled the air, coupled with the smell of ozone. All Tyki saw was a blinding light and Viktor falling on the grass before a roar of "Show no mercy!" surrounded them.

* * *

I leaped down from the pine tree, Kanda, Sheril, and Road close at my heels. I could vaguely see Ianto, Lulu Bell, and Marco do the same from around the clearing. I unsheathed my twin daggers from inside my boots when I landed, rolling to keep my balance and dignity, and charged Dietrich. The curved blades were held backwards in my hands, so the single-edged blades lay against my arms, sharpened edge out*. "I hope you don't mind, but I sent another group ahead to retrieve your flag from that mesa," I called to him.

Dietrich's face twisted into a scowl and he rushed at me. When he was in range, I punched out with my right arm, my dominant hand, and he countered with his broadsword. I retaliated with a left uppercut, which he had to twist uneasily away from to keep my other blade locked with his. While he was still slightly off-balance, I switched my weight to my right leg to deliver a high round house kick to his jaw. To my eternal annoyance, he ducked with a split second to spare and I landed unceremoniously on my ass*.

He held the tip of the blade to the base of my throat, in between my collarbones. I could feel him lean ever-so-slightly too close, and a thin trickle of blood ran down my pale skin.

"Give up yet, Ree?" I glared up at him, then saw his posture. He was leaning too heavily on one foot, providing the perfect opening for me.

"Not on your_ life_!" I swung my leg in a wide arc, knocking him to the ground. I rolled to my feet, repositioning the daggers so the blades now pointed away from my body, and towards my opponent.

He dragged himself out of the dirt, gripping the hilt of his broadsword in both hands, breath heavy.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?"

* * *

Tyki was frankly shocked to see Rhiannon was not only a proficient fighter, but also a pragmatic one, using any and all weakness her opponent showed to her advantage. He could see Allen and Ianto off to his right, Allen using that stupidly large sword of his and Ianto wielding a metal spear, which he, for lack of a better phrase, twirled around like a baton. His ridiculous fighting style was effectively keeping the young Exorcist at bay. Fyre and Lulu Bell were fighting rather viciously with hand-to-hand, Road had pulled the heavily injured Viktor into her Dream, the twin Fae were squaring off, and Kanda and Gideon were matching each other blow for blow. The only other one on the opposing team was, of all people, his obnoxious older brother.

"I guess we have no other choice, little brother..."

"It would seem so, Sheril." The brothers faced off lazily while trying to watch the fights of those around them, until Rhiannon froze in the middle of her battle with Dietrich. Her violet and cerulean cat-like eyes were blank of all emotion.

"Giving up now, Ree?" snarled Dietrich, victorious.

Emotion snapped back into her eyes with a gasp, and she shouted, _"GET DOWN!" _She jumped to pull Road to the ground.

Before she had hit the ground, Road in her arms, an explosion ripped through the otherwise still air, shattering the calm of the late evening. The world around them seemed to tilt and filled with dark gray dust. Tyki's ears rang for what seemed like an eternity, and when they finally cleared he heard something akin to an angel singing, if an angel could be a complete jerk-ass.

"Well, well, well. It certainly is nice to know what your new friends are capable of. I'll be sure to relay the info to your dearest brother." A tall, redheaded man wearing a white greatcoat stepped out of the smoke, his hair long and pulled back into a spiky ponytail.

Rhiannon staggered to stand, her daggers slipping from her grip, "Damn you, Raphael."

The now named Raphael leaned his head to the side with a coy pout, "You're no fun. I wasn't going to kill any of you. Yet."

Without warning, Rhiannon pulled out the revolver and shot three rounds at the man in quick succession. He disappeared back into the dust that still hadn't settled, and Rhiannon sprinted after him. When she didn't find him anywhere near where he had previously been standing, her head whipped around, eyes searching for a familiar flash of long red hair. Seeing it out of her peripheral, she spun and pointed her now half loaded gun at the man's head. When she saw who it really was, she snarled in disgust. "You again?"

"Is that anyway to speak to someone who came to save your sorry asses?"

Allen immediately recognized that deep voice. "M-master? What are you doing here?"

"Didn't I just say, idiot apprentice!"

"Uh, yessir..."

Cross Marian glared down his nose at the sixteen-year-old Exorcist. "I can see you're as filthy as usual."

* * *

**Yay, new chapter! And Cross finally shows up! If you guys like this, I wrote a side threeshot, The First Noah-el, for Christmas set in this universe. And, just as a warning, this story is going to get a lot darker soon.  
**

***1) An actual latitude line running through the Bussaco forest**

***2) Krolik- bunny in Russian**

***3) It's actually nowhere near midnight, she's just being self-depreciating.**

***4) Tia- auntie in Portuguese**

***5) Malyutka- little one in Russian**

***6) 80' is the actual average height of eucalyptus trees in Portugal.**

***7) She's basically using twin arm-blades.**

***8) Rhiannon's level of cursing depends upon the mood of the story at the time. The darker or more angsty, the more she swears.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	18. Lucifer's Angel

_**...Chapter Seventeen: Lucifer's Angel...**_

I sneered up at the intimidatingly tall* Exorcist. "You, save our lives? I specifically remember it being the other way around."

"Do you really have time to argue with me right now?" General Cross tipped his head to one shoulder, eying me with a particularly disgusting smirk, "As much as I would _love _to continue arguing with a woman as alluring as you, there are others to check on."

I growled under my breath. "Everyone! The game's cancelled, find whoever you can and get back to the manor, ASAP!" Previously fighting groups took off in twos and threes into the woods, Allen with Kanda of all people, to find their comrades. I was left with Ianto, Cross, Dietrich, and unsurprisingly, Tyki.

"We'll head North, and make an arc around the mountain. After we meet up with another group, we'll head back," the men nodded. We all started sprinting, Dietrich and Ianto up front, Tyki in the center, and Cross and I, since we had long-range weapons, in the back of the group. We spread out a bit, and all watched the tree-line for anyone, friendly or otherwise.

We had been running for about ten minutes when a burning pain flashed across my forehead, blinding me.

* * *

Tyki let Ianto and Dietrich pull ahead slightly so he could watch their backs. He was forced to let Rhiannon stay behind him with the bastard General Cross on the sole account of them both wielding guns. He could feel the other presence* in his head growl at the male Exorcist, the wounds he dealt all too fresh in their memories.

_Just calm down, Joido*, there's nothing we can do about it. Let's just worry about how she knows him. _It felt ridiculous to be soothing his Inner Noah, but here he was.

**_Why should that matter? He wounded us because we are Noah, who's to say he won't try to do the same to her?  
_**

_As much as I hate to say it... you're right. _Tyki mentally sighed.

**_Ha ha, when am I not? I am the one with memories of the past _seven thousand years, _after all. I have more experience._** If a voice in your head could gloat, this one did.**  
**

_Well, besides the fact that you are me...  
_

He came back to reality when he heard a gasp of pain and a muted _thud,_ like someone falling onto a cushioned surface. He was thrown for a loop when Joido made a rather happy sound that Tyki had never heard anyone, or anything, make before; a cross between a laugh and a growl.

_The hell, Joido?_

**_My love. She's finally come back to me. _**

Realization struck through Tyki like a lightning bolt, and he whipped around to see Rhiannon on her knees, her hands pressed to her forehead, and Cross kneeling next to her, supporting her from falling forward into the powder, and he _dared _to look worried for her well being.

Tyki never knew he had a possessive streak, but seeing another man holding onto Rhiannon made his blood boil. Another tremor ripped through her body, and she screamed, her hands slipping as blood began to pool beneath her fingers. At her cry, Tyki's reflexes kicked into high gear and before he knew he had moved he was kneeling at her side, pushing Cross's arms away and picking up the convulsing form of the soon to be Noah. He held her bridal style, and her hands fell away as he stood, revealing a fresh crown of thorns*. He knew from experience she wouldn't be in any way fit to continue the search for some time.

"You guys go on ahead, I have to bring her back to the manor immediately." The others nodded their assent, Dietrich rather reluctantly, and Tyki ran with as much speed as he could muster, allowing his legs to phase through the snow so he could feel solid ground.

* * *

Allen sprinted in what he hoped was a Southern direction, tailed by Sheril and Road. They ran as best they could in the dimmed light of the cloud-covered moon, going slower than they usually would to prevent themselves from catching their foot on an unseen tree root or sharp rock. They had found Devit and Lenalee, Devit still carrying the white silk flag and looking dejected, and were on their way back home.

Huh. Since when had Allen called the Noah's manor 'home'?

Before he could ponder any further, a fiery flash of pain wracked his body, from his forehead to his toes. The pain started at his head and rolled down his extremities in waves. He fell to his knees with a shout, only vaguely aware of Road and Lenalee calling his name. When he forced his hand away from his forehead, his fingers were painted a deep red. His vision went black as he pitched forward into the snow.

* * *

My thoughts were not my own anymore. Memories from a time long gone played on my closed eyelids.

_I strolled through the estate's vast gardens, my fingers twined with those of the tall, curly-haired man next to me. The stigmata, umber skin, and amber eyes marked him a member of the family of Noah. The thin silver band on my fourth finger marked me his._

_"So, why did you send Abbadon away?" he asked, tone light.  
_

_"What, are you objecting to having some time alone with me, Joido?" I shot back, voice teasing.  
_

_He grinned evilly and he bumped my shoulder with his. "Never. I'm just curious as to why you would shoo away your dear brother when we aren't married yet. You know Adam won't be happy to know you've been with me without a chaperone."_

_My left eye twitched in annoyance, "Be that as it may..." a pause while I collected my thoughts and I slouched forward, "I just got the feeling that I would need some time alone with you today. Like something was going to happen that would change our lives forever." My eyes focused solely on the path under our feet._

_"Seraphiel?"_

_"Hm?" I didn't look up, afraid of what I would see in his eyes._

_He sighed in exhasperation, annoyed with my constant stubbornness. "Seraphiel. Look at me." He rested his hand under my chin, and not ungently pulled my face up to met his eyes. "We will be together forever, and nothing could ever hope to change that. That I can, and will, promise you." He added extra emphasis to the last sentence.  
_

_I started to say something I hoped would be equally sweet, when Adam's voice spoke in my mind, _**Joido, you are needed at the manor*. Please return immediately.  
**

_I sighed through my nose, tipping my head, which he still cradled in his palm, to the right. "You'd best not keep him waiting." He tried to protest when I tugged his hand off my chin, and I tapped his nose with my pointer finger. "I'll be fine. I'll just stay in the gardens until you come back."  
_

_His expression became unreadable. "...Fine. I'll be back within the hour." And he stalked off._

Always over protective, that one is, _I thought as I watched his retreating back. When he was out of sight, I continued to tread on the path we had been following. I stopped every dozen steps or so to admire a flower, occasionally picking one. This had gone on for over an hour, until I had a full bouquet in my hands. I had started to get worried about Joido.  
_

_"There she is!" a shout broke the still mid-afternoon air, making me jump and drop my new acquisitions. I spun on my bare heel to see a rabble of men from the village, young and old, and all Innocence users. Leading the mob was a man of average height, with wavy, dull brown hair reaching his chin. His eyes were the same unmemorable brown as his hair, making him look altogether insignificant. But I knew the truth. This was the man that the Heart had chosen as its wielder. He glared with his lips pulled back over his teeth in a snarl.  
_

_"Someone, bind her hands." I was in too much shock to put much effort into fighting back. One of them, I didn't know who, roughly pulled my hands behind my back and tied them together at the wrists. "Now, girl," the man held the blade forged from Innocence to the base of my throat, "you're going to tell us the weakness of the Noah. I would assume you know, being one yourself." His voice dripped condescension and hate.  
_

_I glared with all the force I could muster, "And if I refuse?"_

_He dug the tip of the razor-sharp blade into my skin. When I tried to pull back, the one holding my wrists pushed me forward. A thin rivulet of blood ran between my breasts. Where the blade cut went numb, and the surrounding skin screamed in agony. "I'll cut out your heart, with the Heart you so kindly entrusted me with."  
_

_I glowered. "Never. I would never tell the likes of you such a thing." He snarled in anger, and reached out to grab a fist-full of my ankle length locks, causing me to cry out._

_"Then they'll tell me, with you as collateral," he spat in my face, then turned and walked with purpose towards my home where my unsuspecting family was, dragging me along behind him. Tears sprang into my eyes from his tight grip on my hair.  
_

_When we were in view of the house he called out, "Alright, you Noah trash! Come on out if you want the girl to live!"_

_The large, heavy front door flew open, and out stormed Joido, Abbadon, and Adam, followed closely by Road, Wisely, and Dezaiasu. The remaining members of the family, Toraido, Fiidora, Maashiima, Raasura, Bondomu, Rasutoru, and Maitora followed._

_"Just what in God's name do you think you are doing?!" yelled Adam._

_"Nothing much. I'm just after information." He laid the blade across my throat so it went one side to the other. "Tell me what I want to know and I won't kill the girl."  
_

_Abbadon snarled, "You wouldn't dare!"_

_"Oh, I dare." he pressed the blade a little closer to my throat, the fresh blood mingling with the old, which was now dry. The rusty copper smell of my own blood filled my nose, making it impossible to focus on anything else. "Now, while I'm still feeling amicable. What weaknesses do the Noah possess? I wish to exploit them, so that humanity can rise to its true place, above the Noah, and anything else in this world." Joido bared his teeth and started for the man holding my hair._

_"Joido, no." I choked on the words. "Don't do anything rash. Don't tell him anything, it's not worth i-"The man shook me, and another cry escaped me when the blade cut deeper.  
_

_"Shut up, you horrible creature!"_

_"Let me go and we will spare your lives, I promi-" I was cut off by the Innocence blade slicing through my trachea and the man threw me down. I struggled to catch my breath as I fell to the dirt path._

_"NO!" Joido pushed the man away from me, cradling me in his arms. Abbadon joined him next to me. Both had tears spilling down their cheeks. I could just make out the sounds of metal hitting Dark Matter over the roar of my pulse.  
_

_"Oh, Seraphiel. My dear, sweet sister." Abbadon brushed my hair behind my ears and I reached up a shaky hand to clasp his. His words turned bitter. "Why did it have to be you?" He squeezed my hand as a sod ripped from his chest.  
_

_"Stop, brother." Joido soothed us both, stroking my hair as I groaned in pain, "It's my fault, I'm the one who left her alone. If only I hadn't left her alone for so long..."_

_My eyesight was dimming. I tried to speak and could only utter a few strangled moans._

_"Hey, hey, shh," soothed Abbadon closing my shivering hand in both of his. He was so warm...  
_

_"This is where we say goodbye, my love." Joido attempted to smile, but it twisted into a grimace.  
_

_"We'll find you in the next life." Abbadon's voice was so very faint now.  
_

_"We always will."_

_Before my sight went dark, I felt a tear from Joido meld with my own on my cheek, and that was the very last thing I ever felt._

**_That is our history, young one. Be sure to never forget it._**

I woke up with a start.

* * *

Tyki and Sheril both jumped when Rhiannon jerked up with a gasp, the latter dropping a file of papers in shock. "What the hell?" she asked the air.

"Who're you talking to?" asked Sheril, amber eyes wide.

She turned at the sound of his voice, "Huh?"

"You said, 'What the hell', when you woke up," answered Tyki, holding his book open with his middle finger on the inside of the spine.

She looked baffled. "I did? I... I don't know, just had a really weird dream." She scratched her scalp in thought.

"That wasn't a dream, my dear~." the Earl walked in carrying a round mirror. "That was Seraphiel's memories, which are now yours." He held the mirror up for her to look into it. She gaped at her new appearance. Light umber skin, silver eyes, and a row of five stigmata crossing her forehead*. "Welcome to the family of Noah."

* * *

**And the new chapter is finished! Please leave a review!  
**

***1) Cross is just under 6'4", so he's the same height as Sheril.**

***2)I'll be writing the Noah and Inner Noah as separate entities. **

***3) I know Wisely doesn't tell Tyki his true name until chapter 187, but Rhia told him in one of the earlier chapters of this story, so...**

***4) Crown of thorns is the name for that particular type of stigmata.**

***5) It's a headcanon of mine that the Earl was much less goofy in the past.**

***6)Having Fae blood had altered her appearance as a Noah.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	19. Made of Stone

_**...Chapter Eighteen: Made of Stone...**_

The Order was in turmoil. It was as simple as that. Lvellie had declared himself Chief Officer of the European branch, the Science Division was tracking the location of the Ark door the Exorcists had used to escape, Cross was missing _again,_ and Komui was under house arrest. Reever was sitting on the lounge in Komui's apartment while the owner of the rooms paced the hardwood.

"Boss, don't you think you should relax a bit?"

Komui continued his agitated pacing, running a tired hand over his eyes, "But, how? How can I relax when my darling sister is off doing who knows what with the Noah?!" He threw his hands in the air, gesticulating wildly.

"She's got Allen and Kanda with her, I'm sure she's fine." Reever said in a vain attempt to calm his friend.

Komui visibly loosened up, "I suppose you're right," for about ten seconds, "But those two will be too busy fighting each other to protect my Lenalee!"

Reever face palmed. "She's an Exorcist in her own right, she can look after herself." he groused.

Before Komui could come up with another ridiculous excuse, Johnny burst through the door, tripping himself in the process. He jolted back to his feet, "Sirs! They, th-the Science Division... they, uh, the-"

"Johnny, what's goin' on?" asked Reever, Johnny's mouth opened and closed repeatedly but no sound came out.

"Spit it out, man!"

"Thesciencedivisionfoundoutwherethearkdoorleadsandnowcentralisplanninganattackonthenoahshideout!"

Komui and Reever stared, dumbfounded. "H-hold on... Repeat that, slower this time." said Reever.

Johnny exhaled, pushing all the air out of his lungs, then inhaled until he felt his lungs would burst, "The Science Division found out where the Ark door leads, and now Central is planning an attack on the Noah's hideout."

If possible, Komui and Reever were even more dumbfounded than before.

"This is bad. This is really, really bad..." breathed Reever, Komui nodding his silent agreement.

* * *

Rhiannon reached out a shaking hand to hold the mirror the Earl offered her, her now silver eyes wide.

"Th-this... is me?" Her expression was one of bewilderment.

"That it is, young one~. You are now officially a member of the Clan of Noah~!" The Earl's smile spread, somehow, even farther. "And you're not the only one~. Allen Walker has awoken as well."

Rhiannon's head snapped back up, causing her ebony-and-ivory curls to fly about her face in a shape reminiscent of a halo. Without saying anything she rolled off her bed, landing sock-footed on the hardwood, and after swaying for a few seconds strode out into the long second floor hallway. Tyki and Sheril exchanged a look that said, _Why does she continue to act without thinking? _Then both stood and speed walked to catch up with their newest family member. They caught up to the statuesque woman as she passed the library. Rhiannon stopped at the Bookman's door, rapping four times in quick succession. Lavi answered the door, vague annoyance in his eyes.

"How many times do I gotta tell ya, Lenalee, he isn't up ye-" He changed his tone when he saw who was on the other side of the door. "Oh. You're awake. How... nice."

"Can I see Allen, please?"

Lavi's eyes went from Rhiannon's forehead to her feet and back. When he saw Tyki glowering at him from behind the girl, he stepped aside to permit the trio entry. Rhiannon brushed past him without a second's hesitation, moving to sit on the edge of the four-poster bed closest to the door. Allen was still out cold in the middle of it, Road sitting near the headboard and running her hand through his fine, white hair.

* * *

It was very much a shock to see Allen, one of the strongest people I knew, looking small and helpless. He was nearly swallowed up by the vast array of pillows and blankets that had been set around him, and still he shivered in his sleep. I joined Road in finger-combing his stark white hair, which was in blatant contrast to his umber skin. When my hand brushed away the strands from his forehead it revealed a row of seven fresh stigmata, newly scarred over and flushed red. Curiosity got the better of me, and I traced the scar in the center tentatively. When I did, though, Allen flinched, and cracked one eye open. Instead of the gray I had become used to, an amber eye stared back at me.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," snarked Tyki from where he leaned against the doorway. Sheril had sat down in the over-stuffed armchair next to the fireplace*.

"Ignore him." I rolled my eyes, causing Allen to gape, "What?"

He shook his head, hair flying out, "Your eyes... They're silver."

"I noticed," I deadpanned. He raised an eyebrow at my serious tone. Seeing his downtrodden expression I crinkled my nose and crossed my eyes. His resulting laugh resonated off the walls, and even Sheril couldn't fight his smile at the joyous sound. "There's the Allen I know!"

He gave me a wry look, then laughed again, softer this time. I then noticed something was off, "Allen, how are you a Noah when you still have Innocence?"

His expression went blank. "I- I have no idea." He smiled, but something was very, very wrong about it. It was hollow, lacking all the warmth of Allen's usual grin. "But I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about."

_Liar. _"Road, get away from him."

"Huh? But why?!" She pouted as I stood and held out my hand.

"Yeah, Rhia, why?" asked 'Allen', giving me a pleading look. I didn't trust it for a second.

"Because that's not Allen." 'Allen' dropped the facade, openly glaring at me. Seeing his expression change so drastically, Road clambered around him to hide behind me. "Is it?"

'Allen' continued to glower at us, not saying a word to explain himself.

* * *

**And I'm just gonna leave it there for ya! Please don't hate me? Anyway, please leave a review!  
**

***1) Most of the bedrooms in the manor don't have fireplaces, just the Bookmen, Road, Tyki, and the Earl.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	20. No Fear

_**...Chapter Nineteen: No Fear...**_

Tyki and Sheril froze at Rhiannon's insistence that the young man sitting in the bed across from them, the young man they thought they knew and trusted, was not Allen. Both pushed themselves off of the fireplace, Sheril inched over to stand behind Road and Rhiannon, and Tyki surreptitiously grabbed a fire poker. Lavi had moved to stand to the left of the bed; Rhiannon, Road, and Sheril were at the foot; Tyki stood to the right. The young man, who was now surrounded, backed up and wrapped his hands around his knees, amber eyes shifting from person to person.

"Do you really distrust one of your own family so much?"

"After hearing the horror stories, yeah, I do." Rhiannon didn't back down at 'Allen's' attempt at guilt-tripping. "And after learning what you plan to do to Allen, I trust you even less, former relationship be damned."

"And what do I plan to do to Allen, little Fae?"

"Take over his body, his memories, erase his very existence. Need I say anything more?" Rhiannon practically growled, "And don't you dare call me 'little', I'm taller than you, and older." The man they now could tell was Abbadon, Nea, the Fourteenth Noah, glowered at the reminder.

"But are you _really _older? Or do you not remember that, in our first life," he canted his head to the side, playing coy, "I was born first, and have led countless lives after? While you, little Fae, have only had one."

Rhiannon smirked with a low chuckle, "And here I was, thinking you rebelled against the Noah because you wanted me back. To me, it sounds as if you hate me as much as the Black Order hates our family."

The Fourteenth's glare softened slightly, "Who said I hated you? Can you blame me for feeling threatened at the moment?" The Fourteenth moved to slide closer to Rhiannon, and Tyki swung the fire poker up to rest against his collarbone.

"Don't make me do something that would upset my family. And believe you me, losing Allen would very much upset Rhiannon and Road," Tyki said with a menacing air.

The Fourteenth turned his glare to Tyki, then closed his eyes with a sigh. When he opened them again, all threat was gone from them. "Joido. Still the knight in shining armor, I see," his tone was worn and tired.

"Some people never change."

"Wiser words were never spoken. Except perhaps, 'Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned'. That rings especially true right now, wouldn't you say Seraphiel?"

The new Noah chuckled darkly, "And who is the one doing the scorning, Abbadon?"

"Aside from your twin brother?" The smile disappeared into a snarl on the woman's face and she lunged at the Fourteenth, stopped only by Sheril wrapping her tightly in his arms. She kicked out as he dragged her back away from the bed.

"Don't you dare ever speak of him again! You know nothing of what happened! _Nothing!_" Her struggling continued, and Tyki considered helping his brother restrain her, until the first tear rolled down her cheek. Her wrestling ceased and she dissolved into tears, going limp. Sheril now had to support her weight.

The Fourteenth watched, apathetic, then said, "I suppose you will be wanting Allen back now." He groaned and slumped forward, umber skin paling to the familiar English ivory. He straightened back up, and this time his eyes were a welcome, warm shade of gray, filled with pain and fear. "Rhia?" His voice was apologetic, and had the emotion that it had lacked when the Fourteenth had been in control. The woman looked back up, tears still making tracks down her face. She pulled Sheril's arms off her, walked over to the bed, sat back down in her previous spot, and rested her head on Allen's chest. His arms loosely snaked around her shoulders, now considerably less thin than they had been when they first arrived. "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry, I never wanted to say those things to you. I wish I could take them all back."

Tyki sat down behind the sobbing woman and wrapped his arms around her waist, laying his head against her back, shushing her. She eventually calmed down enough to speak, "It's a-alright, I'm fine, really. I know it wasn't you saying it, so it's not you that has to ask for forgiveness." She moved to sit up and offered Allen a shaky smile, as if to say, _See? I'm perfectly fine, you don't need to worry about me!_

Allen had now been around her long enough to know it was a rouse.

* * *

I knew Allen knew that my smile was fake, that everyone in the room knew, but it was an ingrained reaction, gained after almost four years of thousands of fake smiles, false laughs, and pretended mental stability. I could it feel it all slipping away from the moment Tyki carried my motionless, pain-racked, poisoned body into the Kamelot's mansion. It was in my nature as a Fae, as a noble, to never let the outside world really know my true face. It's what all of my friends and family had been taught from a young age. But now, in the company of my new family, the words of my mother, may her soul rest in peace, came back from the depths of my memory. It had been one of the first things I blocked out the day my world changed forever.

_I sat on the floor, my head resting on my mothers knees, as I sobbed my eyes out. I was only five years old._

_"They're so mean to me, Mama. They push me away, they hit me, and they never let me play with them! Why are they so mean to me, Mama?" I cried, hysterical.  
_

_She combed my hair with her fingers soothingly, "They are boys, my little angel, and they are older. They think they have to be more important, and always have to have their way. But I know that's not what's really bothering you, hm? What is it, angel?" Her Scottish accent was even thicker than my father's Russian, but she spoke with perfect diction. It's one of the things I would remember most about her._

_I looked up at her violet eyes, the very thing that first attracted my father to her. He had never seen a human with such oddly colored eyes, such inhuman eyes. "Miss Bell said I had to stop showing people how I really felt," Miss Bell had been my personal etiquette teacher, a pretty young thing, but had been a stickler for following every rule book to the letter, and she and I agreed on little, "That I can't smile at people anymore, that I have to be an emotionless statue!"_

_My mother sighed, and pulled me up to sit in her lap, "That's just how things work for the noble Fae, my angel. I'm afraid you will just have to do as she says for the time being, but remember this," I rarely heard my gentle, caring mother so serious, and I looked up at her confused, "There will come a day when you find someone, or a group of people, special enough to share your heart and soul with, who will accept you unconditionally, and love you for every human emotion that you express."_

_I stared at her dubiously, "Can that really happen, Mama?"_

_She smiled that warm, loving smile I had taken for granted, "Of course. It happened for your father when we fell in love. And I am certain it will happen for you." She tickled my stomach, making me giggle and ceasing my tears, "Just you wait, little angel. I am sure that one day, you'll have a big family and a large group of friends who love you no matter what!"_

A group of people special enough to share my heart and soul with, who will accept me unconditionally, and love me for every human emotion I express. It had been years later, when my mother and father were gone but not forgotten, that my mother's prediction had come true. It was times like this, when I sat with my head on the man who had in another life been my brother's shoulder, the arms of the man I believed to be my soul-mate around my waist, the girl who wasn't really a girl that I saw as my niece and my soon-to-be brother-in-law smiling at me, and somewhere else on the vast estate roamed several other family members and close friends, that I wondered if my mother was psychic.

My tears finally dry, I pushed myself up off Allen. He kept one arm around my shoulder and Tyki tightened his arms around me and rested his chin on my bare shoulder. I involuntarily shivered and Tyki chuckled, stood, and pulled me up off the bed.

"We all need to change." For the first time since waking up, I looked down at my attire. I was wearing dirty socks, my pants had tears on both knees, and my corset had a line of blood down the front. "And it's almost time for dinner, so we should all put on something presentable for our guests." He had been guiding me back to the door by our intertwined hands when I pulled him to a stop.

"They're still here?" I asked, incredulous.

Sheril spoke from behind us, "They never left, they've been waiting all day for you two to wake up."

"Wait, how long have I been out?" My windows had been dark when I woke up, so I had thought it was still the same day.

Tyki squeezed my hand, "Almost a day. Don't worry, that's much less time than it normally takes for a Noah to awaken." He started leading me back toward the door, and this time I didn't stop until we were at my door. He hugged me tightly when we reached it, and whispered into my ear, "Don't worry about what happened to Allen, we'll figure it out later." I hummed in acknowledgment, and he let me go to open the door for me, "Don't take forever like usual," he joked, earning a light slap to the chest which only made him laugh harder. I shook my head and stepped back into the room, shutting the door as I went. I stood still holding the knob until I heard him walk away to his own room.

I did as asked and changed quickly into my dress that was once Lulu Bell's, then stood in front of the mirror hung on the wall, looking myself in my now silver eyes. They had kept their cat-like pupil, and I now thought that it had been a Noah trait all along. A row of five stigmata crossed my forehead and my skin was a noticeably lighter shade of umber than Allen's had been. _I guess some parts of me will always be Fae..._ I centered my mind, focusing on my previous appearance, and I watched in amazement as everything went back to normal. Well, not everything. Now, a second voice was there in the back of my mind, telling me everything would be okay.

I walked out of my room and down the stairs to where Tyki and Road leaned against the ornate banister. They each grabbed one of my hands and we walked side by side to the dining room full of talk and laughter. The hall was filled with a chorus of "Rhia!" when I stepped in, and I was on the receiving end of more hugs than I've gotten in my whole life, from everyone but Kanda and the Bookman. Dinner was uneventful and very enjoyable, no one wanting to bring up the bitter end to the game and shatter the good mood. Cross was predictably nowhere to be found, but I was told he had said he would be back the next day.

Long after the table had been cleared and the Fae safely seen to their carriages, I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling, having just woken up from my first nightmare since finding my new home. My heart pounded in my chest, and images of the earlier explosion, my parents murder, and the gruesome deaths of my new loved ones at the hands of the man I once called 'brother' played behind my eyelids. After thirty minutes of failed attempts to push the images out of my mind and fall back asleep, I kicked the covers off, pulled an afghan around me, and walked sock-footed into the hall. I made my way as quietly as I could down the hall and up the stairs to the third floor. I stopped at a door halfway down the hall with the orange glow of firelight under it casting into the hall. I knocked knowing the one inside would still be awake.

The door opened, and Tyki looked confusedly into the hall, tipping his head to the side when he saw me. "What's going on, Rhia? Is everything okay?"

I briefly considered telling him I was fine when the memory of his bloody and broken body flashed into my mind, "No, I wish I could say it was." I studied my feet, "I can't sleep, I keep having nightmares. Can... Can I sleep in here?"

He looked taken aback, and rocked back and forth from foot to foot before stepping back to let me into the room, and I slowly walked to the bed. He followed and pulled the covers back for me, then made his way to the other side to climb in.

That night, I fell asleep in Tyki's arms, listening to the sounds of his steady heartbeat and the crackling fire.

* * *

**I wish I could properly express how sorry I am for the long wait. I was planning to update earlier today, but the site was down and I couldn't get into my doc's. Anyway, please leave a review!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	21. Lost In Paradise

_**...Chapter Twenty: Lost In Paradise...**_

"FAA~THERRR!" Road ran down the grand staircase and into Sheril's arms, the tall man looking at her questioningly. "I can't find Rhia!" Sheril, who had been talking to the Earl, whipped around to stare at the patriarch, then dropped Road and sprinted up the stairs, the other two Noah on his heels.

"What do you mean, you can't find her? Where did you look?"

Road answered when they were on the landing and started towards Rhiannon's bedroom, "I went to wake her up this morning, but she wasn't there. So, I started looking for her in the other rooms in the house she goes to most, and she wasn't in any of them either." They had stopped at her door, the only one in the house painted blue, and Sheril knocked twice. Receiving no answer, the group walked in to see no one in the bed and the washroom door wide open without anyone inside. The three went back out to the hall and followed it to the library, then the music room, and even Sheril's study, each time opening the door, poking their heads in and looking around, then closing the door and moving on to the next one. Each time was another failure. Without saying anything, they agreed to look downstairs on the main floor, and just as quickly searched every possible hiding place. The ballroom, the conservatory, the kitchens, the formal sitting room. She wasn't in any of those either. As they ran from room to room like decapitated chickens, they ran into the twins, who immediately agreed to help. The two brothers ran out and up the stairs on their way to the third floor and Sheril, Road, and the Earl pulled on coats to continue their search outside.

They had almost reached the marble fountain, its three tiers frozen in a silent dance, when one of the idiots ran out into the snow, once again wearing next to nothing. "I FOUND HEEERRRR!" Devit shouted after the three nobles, and, sighing, they turned back around to go back to the mansion. They followed the eighteen-year-old up both flights of stairs, and glanced back and forth at each other when he stopped at Tyki's door.

Sheril was the first to move again, pushing the plain wooden door open. The room was dark; all the curtains were drawn and the fire was down to its last embers. A rather large lump was under the covers, and Sheril was very confused until it shifted, separating into two, and a cascade of black and silver curls tumbled over the edge. Sheril looked at the two for a moment, then strode to the floor-to-ceiling windows and yanked the curtains open, letting in the bright, early morning light. The sleeping couple flinched at the glaring sun, Rhia turned to her other side and pulled the covers up, and Tyki sat up to scowl at his brother.

"Just what in the hell are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing, little brother. Why are you sleeping in the same bed as a woman you are not yet married to?"

Tyki reluctantly rolled out of bed and walked to the washroom to comb his hair, "She was having really vivid nightmares and asked me to sleep in here. After seeing the panic in her eyes I didn't really think it right to refuse her." He walked back into the main room to stand next to Road, and she looked up at him with that annoying, knowing smile.

Sheril moved to shake Rhia awake when the Earl interrupted, "Wait." Sheril froze, "Let her sleep, she'll wake up on her own time." Sheril nodded and backed away, leaving Rhiannon curled on her side with the blankets pulled up to her nose, looking much more fragile than someone of her height should. Tyki couldn't help but think that the only time he had seen her so peaceful was when she played the piano.

* * *

Three things came to my immediate attention when I woke up. One, I was not in my own bed. Two, the sheets smelled of expensive cologne and soap. Three, the bed was cold. _Why was the bed cold?_ I rolled over to the spot I knew Tyki had been occupying, to find it empty. _Oh. So that's why._ I brushed my hand over the indent he had left in the mattress to find nothing, and figuring I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, and still feeling disoriented, I sat up to get a better look at my surroundings. The room was very different from my own, in that the wood paneling and furniture had been left unpainted, instead stained a deep red-brown that complimented the cream bed covers and seat cushions. Tyki had his own bookcase that was mostly full, and a cream marble fireplace that I had associated with safety the night before. Strewn across the different surfaces were various books, some with titles I couldn't read that I assumed were written in Portuguese, but most were in English. I recognized a few and wandered around the room looking at them. _A Tale of Two Cities. Walden. The Bell Tower. Hamlet. Macbeth._ All fairly well known titles that I had read before, and seen Tyki read on one occasion or another.

I decided that I had creeped around Tyki's belongings far to much, and shook my head as I walked out, pulling the green afghan off the back of a settee as I went. My footsteps were muffled by my socks, and I made as little noise as possible opening and shutting my bedroom door. Now that I had seen another room in the house, mine seemed strange with its calming blues and pale greens, pale flooring, and fruit-wood furniture, instead of the rich auburn hues, dark oak, and mahogany Tyki's room was adorned in.

I pushed that out of my mind and picked the boar hair brush off the vanity beneath the mirror, carefully freeing my hair of knots. I then tied it back in a simple plait and twisted it up into a bun with more pins than I wanted to count, and lastly pushed Tyki's comb into the top of it. When I was certain my hair wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, I pulled on a clean and unwrinkled dress, this one a dark wintery gray with long sleeves and a high collar. It was still lower cut than most women would wear, but I didn't care. I tied the corset strings myself, something I don't recommend, then studied my reflection one last time. After a moments consideration, I took the ring out of my left nostril and threw it in the waste bucket next to my desk.

I nodded at myself in the mirror, pulled on a pair of black kitten-heeled boots and tied the laces, and stepped out to start my day. I figured the time was past 10 in the morning, so breakfast would have been over quite a while ago. Seeing no one in the dining room except a few servants, I entered the kitchen, grabbed an apple, and munched on it as I watched the head cook prepare lunch. She smiled indulgently at me and allowed me to stay until I was finished. I thanked her and walked back up to my favorite place in the manor. The library. Tyki sat, predictably, in his favorite chair near the center of the room, and looked up at me with an eyebrow raised when I picked up my newest book. The Legend of King Arthur. I shrugged, and he went back to his own book.

Ten minutes later, when I was fully immersed in what I was reading, Sheril opened the door, "_I__rmãzinha*, _I have a favor to ask..."

* * *

**Short chapter is short... And there's little to no dialogue in this one... Oh, well! This is right where my side story The First Noah-el comes in, so if you would read that, it would make me a very happy gal! Please leave a review!**

***1) Little sister in Portuguese**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	22. Never Go Back

_**...Chapter Twenty-One: Never Go Back...**_

_Dear Diary,_

_Christmas came and went, resulting in all of us with a little more camaraderie, and, for me, a new friend. His name is Batista, and he works in the kitchen most of the time. He told me about his plans for the future, and I'm working on convincing Sheril to hire him as the official party planner. Sheril was pretty hesitant at first, since he is just a kitchen boy, but after telling him that Batista was my main help on Christmas day, what with the floral arrangements being out of place, the tree being untrimmed, and Allen's cake being undecorated when I got up yesterday, he seemed more accepting of the idea._

_Tyki glared at his brother like he was trying to light him on fire with his gaze as the discussion carried out. Which I found hilarious. I never thought he would be the one to have a jealous streak, I was pretty sure it would be me... I mean, have you seen him? Oh, wait. Of course you haven't, you're a book. Well, anyway, after seeing the way all those women stared at him and glared at me on the eighteenth, at the ball, I knew he was popular with the local ladies. I'll have to ask him about that soon._

_Anyway, I am very curious as to why Cross has yet to reappear. I am aware that he has a tendency to take off for years on end, but he told the Earl himself, and I am very sure they despise each other, that he would be back the next day, the twenty second, and that was four days ago. Well, I guess I shouldn't be worried, I know from personal experience that he can look after himself, but I'm still worried about the effect his presence will have on Allen's already fragile mental stability. But I'm not really one who should judge that, since I've been faking since I came to the Noah's estate._

_I should stop now before I write something truly humiliating, as I am fairly sure Road has been reading this while I was asleep, and she'll no doubt tell Tyki and Sheril what she read._

_~Rhiannon_

I set my pen down on the dining table and glanced around the large space. The servants were working on taking down the red chiffon and pine garlands that were hung on the walls, and had insisted that I not help them. I was waiting for someone, anyone, to wake up and come in for breakfast so that I wouldn't be alone, but even Lulu Bell, the earliest riser surprisingly, was still up in her room, and none of the Fae had come calling yet. It was almost ten in the morning. _I guess the party took quite a bit more than I though out of them._

Finally, as I thought this, a loud knock carried from the door to the dining room. I couldn't fight my grin as I stood up and raced to the foyer. My grin widened when I saw Tyki turn the corner and yawn as he descended the stairs. I giggled lightly when a knock again was heard from the door, and I grasped the ornate knob with my left hand. It turned with an ominous creak.

"Wait, Rhia-" Tyki yelled behind me as he sprinted down the stairs. I pulled the door open, and stopped dead with the door half open when I saw the shock of crimson hair, imposing baring, and intricately detailed overcoat standing on the other side, eye shining in the white light reflected off the snow.

General Cross had arrived.

* * *

Tyki slid to a stop next to Rhiannon, who had yet to shake off her shock. The bastard Cross stood on the patio, smirking wickedly as he pulled off his gloves. "Expecting someone else, lovely? I'm sorry to disappoint."

Tyki wrapped a possessive arm around Rhiannon's shoulders, and that seemed to snap her out of her shock, "Could you please not refer to my fiancee as such, Cross Marian?"

"Oh, I apologize! I didn't realize you two were actually together. Tell me, who asked who?" Rhia visibly flinched at his words, and Cross's smirk widened into a full-blown grin, "Ah. I guess that answers that. So, am I going to stand on the stoop all day?"

Rhiannon breathed in sharply and stepped back, pushing Tyki back and pulling the door open as she went. She plastered a sugary-sweet smile on her face, "Where are my manners? Please, do come in General." Cross nodded politely and stepped into the foyer, purposefully taking his time. As he studied the lavishly appointed entry, with its marble floor, ornate moldings, and wrought-iron banisters, a female servant rushed over to take his coat. The poor girl blushed furiously as she walked away, nearly tripping over her own feet as she hung the heavy material in the hall closet. Rhiannon glared at the General, and he simply shrugged. She snorted in a very unladylike manner and looped her arm with Tyki's, stuck her nose up in the air like she smelled something atrocious, and turned to lead the way to the formal sitting room. Tyki watched all this with amusement and allowed the obviously flustered woman to steer him on. His smile fell when he heard a dark chuckle behind him and Cross's footsteps clicking on the marble. Tyki opened the door to the sitting room that was normally reserved for visiting dignitaries. Rhiannon unwound her arm from his and pulled open the heavy drapes. The late morning light played across the various couches and settees, the ice crystals on the floor to ceiling panes throwing rainbows on the varnished tables. On the three walls without windows hung paintings, mostly pastoral scenes, but there were two of the Kamelot family, one set outside in the vast gardens overlooking the lake that was currently frozen over, the other painted in this very room, the family in front of the windows with the roses in full bloom behind them.

Something else resting on a table in the corner of the room caught Tyki's eye. It was a rough sketch tacked to a plain wooden board, left in here long ago unfinished. Tyki remembered when he and his brother first became Noah and the Earl moved in, what seemed like a lifetime ago now, but in reality was only ten years ago. He had come into the sitting room for some peace and quiet, in other words to escape his brother droning on and on about his wedding plans, to find the Earl sitting alone on the farthest couch, a pencil in one hand and this board in the other. He strode over to see what it was he was working so intently on, and his eyes widened at the beautifully drawn portrait of a woman. Delicate jaw, almond shaped eyes, thin nose, thick dark hair, and arched brows. He had been struck with the feeling he knew the woman in the portrait, but when he had asked the Earl said it was nothing to worry himself about, implying to never ask again. Tyki had never seen the Earl work on it again, and would ponder over it whenever he was forced to sit through a business meeting with his brother in the room. It had been so long since he had been in this room, since his brother now held meetings elsewhere and the room didn't have much use anymore, that he had forgotten it entirely a while ago.

Looking at it now he could see it was a very well done portrait of Seraphiel. He set the board back down and looked over his shoulder at Rhiannon and Cross. She still had an expression of distaste and he had shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing around the room with an approving eye at the various artworks. Rhiannon inhaled sharply through her nose, drawing Cross's attention. She gritted her teeth and pasted the fake smile back on, "Please have a seat. I'll have the staff prepare coffee and tea."

"That won't be necessary." He shook his head and his red hair shifted to cover half of his mask.

Rhiannon's eye twitched, "Oh, but I insist. You are our guest, after all." Her tone had a dangerous edge to it, and Cross hummed before reluctantly nodding and sitting in an over stuffed chair. Tyki hid his chuckle behind his fist and walked over to the couch across from the Exorcist, slowly sitting down with his hands in his pockets and stretched out his legs, not caring about appearances at the moment. They both watched Rhiannon walk out the door after one last glare at the Exorcist, her skirt swishing behind her with every step. _It should be very interesting to learn how they know each other, and why she clearly hates him so much. Oh, this is going to be fun._

"So," he began, and Cross flicked his eyes from one of the family portraits over to the Noah, "just how do you know Rhiannon?"

Cross hummed again, "I think it would be better if she told you that story. But, I'm pretty sure it's not what you're thinking."

"Oh? And what am I thinking?" Tyki's voice dripped sarcasm, and the General glared at him through his hair.

"Do I really have to answer that question?"

Tyki's mouth twitched into a grin for a split second, "No, I suppose not. At least answer this. If it's truly not what I'm thinking, then why does she treat you with such contempt?" Cross noticeably stiffened, and Tyki rested his right ankle on his left knee and draped his longs arms on the back of the couch, triumphant. "But, I guess you won't be answering that either."

Before Cross could answer, two servants walked in, one with brown hair carrying a tray of cups, the other a blonde carrying a tray with two silver teapots on it. The girls were followed closely by Sheril, the Earl, Road, and Rhiannon. The four Noah choose seats, the Earl in the armchair nearest the windows, Sheril the armchair across from him, Road bouncing into the chair next to Cross and kicking her legs back and forth, and Rhiannon sat on the couch cushion next to Tyki after he straightened up and shifted over, all around a central, rectangular table.

The servant girls set their respective trays down, and the brunette placed a saucer, cup, and spoon in front of each of them, and the blonde set a small pitcher of cream and a bowl of sugar in the center of the table, then said in heavily accented English, "The selection for today is Darjeeling," she held up the first pot, shorter and plainer than the other, "and Hawaiian Kona coffee." The drinks were poured, Rhiannon, Road, and the Earl asked for tea, and Sheril, Tyki, and Cross were served coffee. After everyone had their desired drink, the servants bowed and left with smiles to each other.

* * *

I watched the two servant girls leave after sharing a loaded smile and rolled my eyes. Tyki saw this and nudged me with his elbow. I turned to him and read the question in his eyes but shook my head to say _not now. _He nodded once and reached for the pitcher of cream Cross had just set back down and poured a generous amount into his own cup, then handed the pitcher to me. I tipped a small dollop into my tea and set it back down to stir my tea, being careful not to clink the china with my spoon. Everyone else had finished preparing their drinks and were happily sipping them, waiting for me to finish. Road had, surprisingly, not put any sugar in her tea, only a small amount of cream like me. The Earl had dropped in more sugar cubes than I wanted to count. Sheril had dropped in two sugar cubes and a slash of cream, and Cross left his coffee black.

I set my spoon back on the saucer and lifted the cup to my lips, taking a small sip, then set the cup back slowly to prevent it from clattering, "So," I said, "Why have you come to our home? Were you sent by the Order to eradicate us?"

Cross laughed softly, "Hardly. I apologize for my late return, but something came up."

Sheril's brows pulled together, "And just what exactly would that be?" The threat of _tell me or I kill you _was obvious.

"I came with a warning." Cross paused for effect, "I have word from a reliable source that the Order now knows of your hideout, and are preparing an attack."

"And you tell us this why? Are you not our enemy?" I questioned.

Cross tipped his head to the side and considered it for a moment, "If that is what you want to call it. However, I am an ally to those kids staying here, as well as the Bookmen." It struck me as odd that he didn't call Lavi and Bookman Exorcists, and still considered Allen just one of the kids now that he was technically a Noah. I made a mental note of it and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Just how reliable is this source of yours?"

"Very." His one visible eye met mine, and I couldn't see a lie in it. That didn't mean I trusted him, though.

The Earl set down his now empty cup, "It is much appreciated. I assume you are staying nearby?" Cross nodded, "Please give the phone number of the establishment to us, and we will call you when we are ready to move." Sheril, Road, Tyki, and I all whipped around to look at him.

"What?!" Road demanded. "But... this is our home! We can't just _leave!_" Sheril rested a hand on her tiny shoulder and she stopped, tears in her dark eyes. I could feel my own tears building, but refused to let them fall. Road clambered into Sheril's arms and the two left the room.

The Earl sighed, "We will be ready to depart in three day's time, at the most." Cross nodded again, and both he and the Earl stood and left. When the door closed behind them, the first tear rolled down my cheek, and a shaky sigh left me. Tyki wrapped an arm around my waist, and I let out a quiet sob, then harshly wiped the tears from my face and shut my eyes to force the others back. _Just as I find a new home, something always has to come along and shatter the peace. _

"I'm fine." I pushed myself off the couch and stood, turning away so Tyki couldn't see my face, couldn't see the lie in my eyes.

"No, you're not. I thought we agreed on no more lies." I flinched when his hand rested on my shoulder, but he only pulled me closer to him and led me towards the door. When we were almost there we passed one of the portraits on the wall, and I stopped when I saw an unfamiliar face.

"Who is that?" I pointed to the pale, fragile looking woman.

"Hm? Oh, that's Tricia, Sheril's wife."

"Is she...?" I couldn't say the words.

"No," Tyki laughed, "She's alive and well, just visiting family in Spain for the holidays." I nodded mutely. I had seen the ring on Sheril's left hand, and knew Road was his adopted daughter, but had never brought myself to ask him about it. "How about we go to the music room and you play me a song?" I smiled slightly and nodded, and we walked out into the foyer.

* * *

Lvellie walked back and forth on the newly cleaned carpet of the Director's office, once being the workplace of Komui Lee. He admired the vast array of books, pausing every now and again to read one of the spines. This continued until a knock on the heavy door resounded off the bookcases.

"Enter." The door opened with a loud creak, and a guard walked in.

"Sir!" The guard bowed stiffly. "They have arrived."

"Good. You may go." The guard bowed again, then turned on his heel and left. Lvellie smirked, grasped his right wrist with his left hand behind his back, and strode out of the large office. He followed the sound of the guard's boot heels to the training area, where several Finders, members of the Science Team, and a few Exorcists that weren't on missions were standing in a circle and whispering to one another. When they saw Lvellie, they made a path for him. Now that there were no obstructions, he could see the five cloaked figures in the center of the circle. Their cloaks were dark, they wore oddly shaped hats, and their faces were concealed behind veils. _Let's see the Noah try to fight this team off._

What Lvellie didn't see, however, was the short brunette run off to tell his boss what was going on.

Johnny sprinted as much as he could, and speed-walked the rest of the way to Komui's apartment, knowing this was something his boss would need to know right away.

* * *

**I'm pretty sure you all know who it was in the cloaks. Anyway, there's a story that needs some love, and that would be _Sight, _by author12306. Seriously, it's amazing, and the author is a complete sweetheart, so please go check it out! Also, this chapter is back at three thousand words, and I have over thirty followers. Like, what?  
**

**Well, please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	23. Breathe No More

_**...Chapter Twenty-Two: Breathe No More...**_

The five figures moved through the night like cloaked wraiths, sliding from shadow to shadow with as little sound as possible. With the use of the Ark out of the question, they had had to go the long way, by boat, to get from England to France. They had explained to the Finders that they would not need their assistance, and preferred walking anyway, so if any of them tagged along they would just end up left behind. The five figures' appearances caused too much speculation on any form of public transport, and unnecessary questions would only serve to slow them down more.

They avoided unwanted eyes by only traveling by night, something that was to their advantage in the winter months with the nights being longer and their cloaks blending in to the blanket of oppressive darkness the forests of this country provided. Why the Noah had chosen such an overgrown area in the mountainous region of Portugal was beyond their understanding, but at the moment it was to the family of abominations' impediment, as the team from the Black Order could sit and watch from the eucalyptus trees for the house and its inhabitants to settle down for the night.

Their leader, not a particularly tall individual, watched the last light from a second story window be dimmed, and motioned the team forward.

The Noah's time had come.

* * *

The Fae scurried from room to room of the large manor, offering their aid to the packing Noah and Exorcists. They had been told two days ago that the family and their guests would be leaving, and it had been discussed where they would go. This part had been left for last, the Noah reluctant to leave their home. Many tears had been shed, but they had been put away for the time being so the work of the hour could be completed, hopefully leaving enough time for the Noah to enjoy one last meal in the comfort of their own space.

Marco and Gideon passed Lenalee as they carried a heavy trunk of unknown contents to the first floor from Road's room, she on her way to the room she had been occupying for the past three weeks to grab her own possessions. Road trotted behind the male Fae, hugging a brightly colored box of hair accessories to her chest.

"And just what," grunted Gideon, "do you lot plan to do with all this luggage? You don't expect to carry it with us the whole way, do ya?"

Road giggled as she slipped past them and ran down the steps two at a time. "Not at all. It'll all be kept in the Ark until we need it."

Marco huffed as they dropped the trunk on the scuffed marble, "Ah, right, forgot about that. So, is it, like, an alternate dimension, or another world entirely?"

The ever cheerful Road dropped her girlish facade and smiled with narrowed eyes, an expression that made her look much older, and quite a bit more dangerous, "Why don't you find out for yourselves?" Two tall, arched black doors solidified behind the waif and opened inward, releasing a gust of wind that ruffled the two men's hair. Gideon and Marco stared wide-eyed at each other before hesitantly stepping forward and through the arch, into a town built entirely of black stone and stucco. The only other colors were the crystal blue of the sky, the wispy whiteness of the clouds, and the gray of the sand in between the cobblestones, creating a grid-like street. The town looked at least as big as Lisbon or Dublin, and was completely empty. Every step they took echoed down the streets and right back to them. The Fae turned, dumbfounded, in a circle to take it all in before looking back at each other to try to understand what they were seeing.

There was so much more to the Noah than they originally thought.

* * *

I unhooked the clasp at the back of my Christmas dress to free the hanger it had been on in my wardrobe, laid the hanger on my desk, and set the heavy silk gown down on the bed, carefully folding the old material. After it was folded, I looked at it one last time, remembering the first time I had ever seen the beautiful gown at a party several years ago on my mother, and her telling me that it had been worn by the women in her family for many years, carefully handled until it would be handed down to the next wearer. I sighed and placed the gown on a piece of wax paper, folding the sheet around it and placing it in a trunk that held my other formal gowns. A sigh slipped past my lips again, and the vibrant colors of the silks and satins blurred together as my eyes filled with tears. A shaky sob and a tear escaped, and before I knew what was going on, I had slid down the wall to sit on the floor, my whole body shaking as ever louder sobs slipped out and tears clouded my vision. My chest throbbed; my heart felt as if was hollow and my lungs burned from lack of oxygen. I wrapped my shivering arms around my knees and I rested my forehead against them in an attempt to muffle the sounds of my crying.

I couldn't hide it anymore. Over the past two days, everything that once interested me became dull. I played the piano and cello, and the songs quickly became darker and more violent. I sat in the library with Tyki, but the words on the page just became a jumbled mess. Food lost its taste, and after the first day's lunch I stopped eating all together, instead I would sit staring at my plate for a few minutes, fifteen at the most, before I would push my chair back and lock myself in my room, not even permitting Tyki entry. Even the upcoming holiday brought with it no excitement. I felt so very, _very _angry, but had no motivation to actually do anything.

I was a blubbering mess, and began choking on my own tears when an arm wrapped around my trembling shoulders and pulled me over to a smaller form. I bit back my next cry and lifted my eyes to meet the green ones of Cleona. She offered a small smile, then pulled me back down to rest my head on her shoulder. Her fingers pushed my now damp bangs from my face, the silver strands feeling hot and sticky behind my ears. We sat like that for about five more minutes, until my tears were spent, and I sat up straight and shook my head, the bar and chain hanging from my left ear lightly hitting my chin.

"I'm not going to say all of this is okay," the redhead started, "because it's obviously not. However, I can finish packing for you."

I shook my head again, "Thanks, but it's my stuff, so I'd feel weird if you did all of the work."

She tipped her head to the side, smiling again, then stood with practiced grace. She held out a hand, "Alright, then, let's get to work."

I smiled as well and allowed her to pull me to my feet, "Let's." I agreed.

The work was quick, all that had been left was a few necklaces and my work smocks, only ten in all. She sang nonsense songs the whole time, ones she knew never failed to make me smile.

"_Just plant a watermelon upon my grave, _

_And let the juice slip through._

_Just plant a watermelon upon my grave_

_That's all I ask of you!_

_My master had a chicken and it tasted mighty fine, _

_But I'd rather have a juicy little watermelon vine._

_So plant a watermelon upon my grave, _

_And let the juice slip through!"_

The last note and my giggle rang down the hall, and passing Noah and Fae poked their heads in to see what the ruckus was about, leaving with grins and rolling eyes. My trunk was finally packed, and Cleona and I picked it up with little trouble (admittedly, there wasn't much in it compared to Lulu Bell and Road's). I walked backwards down the hall and staircase. We turned around when we reached the bottom of the flight, and walked through the tall arch of the Ark door. When I could see that the shapes I had thought to be shadows were actually buildings, I very narrowly avoided dropping the trunk on my toes. The city meandered on as far as my eye could see, all the way to a massive black tower in the distance, the pillars and arches visible even from where we stood. At the sound of my name I snapped back to reality and placed my end of the trunk down on top of Road's. Cleona nodded at me, and we made our way back upstairs to grab the two small jewelry boxes from my room. When we walked back out of the Ark for the second time, Tyki and Sheril brushed past us with one of their own trunks (I wasn't sure whose). I went back upstairs and grabbed the last thing from my now empty-feeling room. The purple, leather bound journal I had received for Christmas. A pencil marked the last page I had written on.

I walked slowly to the dining room, and sat alone at the long table. I opened the book to a fresh page and began pouring my soul onto the paper.

_Dear Diary, _

_I wish I could say today had been a good day, but I made a promise to Tyki to tell no more lies. I finally broke down while packing, and Cleona of all people comforted me. Sheril, Tyki, Dante, Ianto, Viktor, Dietrich, the Earl, and I all debated our next move over the past few days, and it has been decided that it's now time to go to the war front._

_I'm going home._

My pencil stalled as another tear rolled down my cheek and onto the cream page, smudging my words. I swallowed my tears when I heard a laugh behind me, and I hurriedly shut the journal and hid it in my lap. I looked up to see the Fae, Noah, and Exorcists walking in for our last meal together at the manor. Leading the group was General Cross.

* * *

Tyki walked next to the Exorcist General, laughing at Luca's recounting of a story from the Fae's childhood. His chuckles ceased when his head turned and he caught sight of Rhiannon's slightly red and swollen eyes. Knowing she wouldn't say anything with such a large crowd around he let it slide for now and plunked into his own seat, resting his left hand on the table palm up, and her face lit with the barest hint of a smile, winding her fingers with his.

He leaned over to whisper in her ear, "I can hear your stomach growling, so you had better eat what's placed in front of you today." She flinched and tried to pull her hand away, and he grasped it tighter, looking into her eyes pleadingly, "Please." She paused before nodding mutely. The servants brought the food out and served those gathered.

Tyki heard a dark chuckle when Rhiannon took her first bite in days, and glared at the General seated across from her. "What?" he demanded.

"Oh, nothing." Cross shook his head lightly, pursing his lips, "Just seems that she'll do about anything for you. You've lost your spark, little Fae."

Several of those at the table froze at the nickname, and their eyes turned to Rhiannon, waiting for her to explode in anger. "Hm." She didn't even lift her eyes from her plate, "I suppose I have. Forgive me?" She looked up and smiled at the man, but it didn't reach her eyes; they were dull and hollow-looking.

Even Cross stared, horrified by her lack of emotion. The rest of dinner passed in near silence, the sole sounds being knives and forks occasionally squeaking on a plate. When the plates were cleared the Earl stood and lead the way out to the grounds. They made a loop around the property, and were about to leave the treeline to go back inside for the final time when Rhia stopped dead, emotion finally flooding back into her cat-like eyes, "Wait!" she hissed. The group turned to look at her, and she motioned with her head to the manor.

Standing in the dim light of the gas lamps in front of the door were five figures, varying in height, and covered in heavy-looking black cloaks. When a maid blew out the candle that flickered from Rhiannon's second floor window, they surged forward as one, and the tallest kicked open the door. In less than a minute, the screams of the servants could be heard and several ran out the front door, disappearing into the treeline. The five figures followed shortly after, obviously not finding what they came for. A growl was heard from the center of the Fae, Noah, and Exorcist's group, and all eyes turned to Rhiannon to see the first emotion cross her face in three days.

Rage.

* * *

**Okay, this chapter isn't as long as the last one, but I'm planning on updating twice today. And the next chapter is going to get dark. Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	24. Crimson Snow

_**...Chapter Twenty-Three: Crimson Snow...**_

I stood frozen on the path through the woods. The five assassins stood in front of us, none of us daring to move first. I heard a panicked whimper and my eyes flicked down to see the tallest one dragging Batista by his long hair. My decision was made before I could form a coherent thought through my rage, and I bolted forward, kicking the giant's hand away from my friend. The _thing _dropped the poor teen, and it lumbered back as its hood fell, revealing a human face, hair carefully styled into a top knot, small eyebrows, two dots on the forehead, and masculine features.

The man's cloak finally dropped, and I openly stared at his left arm, deformed and claw-like. Whatever these people once were, they had given up their humanity for power. My lips drew back in a snarl and I backed up to where my friends and family stood. The other four _whatever they were_ unclasped their cloaks as well. I flinched when I heard a metallic whirring from my left, and I glanced over to see Allen's left eye turn black and red and two gears appeared to float in front of his face. This had been explained to me, but I had never seen what Allen's cursed eye really looked like. I did know its abilities.

"What do you see, Allen?"

He shook his head, confused, "Nothing. They don't have Akuma souls. Besides, why would a group of Akuma attack their leaders?"

"You there!" The Earl sounded irritated, but most of all interested in these new people, "What might you be~?"

"We do not owe you any form of explanation." The one in the middle, the leader I guessed, said, voice cool and calm. "We will not even tell you our names. However, we can clearly see that we are outnumbered, so we will take our leave of you." He bowed, which only served to infuriate me more.

* * *

'Lavi' noted the stiff movements of the five assassins, and watched mutely as they turned and retreated into the treeline on the side of the house. These new people certainly were odd, nothing in his vast memory spoke of such as them. He knew his mentor was also making a mental note of their movements and speech patterns, and Allen's reaction to their oddly shaped, clawed hands.

'Lavi's' eyes widened when Gideon raced after them, dagger glinting in the light of the waning moon. 'Lavi' was the first to react and raced after him following the deep impressions in the snow until they split into three paths. That meant four of the assassins stayed together, and Gideon followed one of them. He looked back and forth between them, but the tracks were too muddled for 'Lavi' to tell which was which.

The apprentice Bookman turned at the crunch of snow behind him, and he saw Rhiannon, Tyki, Allen, and Dietrich approaching. "I told the others to go back to the house, we'll search for Gid." Rhiannon said. 'Lavi' nodded and took off down the path to the right, Tyki and Rhiannon took the one in the middle, and Allen and Dietrich followed the last path.

The apprentice Bookman followed the winding tracks for what seemed an eternity, and then heard the sound of metal hitting... something. It didn't sound like metal, but it did sound somewhat organic. The trees opened up slightly and 'Lavi' stepped into the clearing just in time to see the shortest male assassin knock Gideon's blade to the side and plunge his claw forward, and Gideon fell with a guttural groan. The Bookman ran to the fallen warrior with a shout, and the assassin took off back into the trees and out of sight. 'Lavi' knelt by Gideon's side and watched the blood spill onto the snow, red ink mingling with white. That's all anyone ever was to him, black ink on white paper. But then the world would change for a split second, and red would splash across the page. He would record it every time. But this time was different. This time, it wasn't just a story written on a page. It was a person that he _knew._

He watched Gideon's life drain away, all his Bookman training failing him as he saw someone he considered his friend fade away, the blood shining crimson, the still untainted snow glowing silver in the light of the stars. For once, 'Lavi' didn't know what to do.

A sharp, panic-stricken voice broke his reverie. _"NO!" _Rhiannon screamed, her voice bouncing back from the far off mountains. Her feet nearly failed her as she stumbled through the snow. She fell to her knees next to Gideon's lifeless body. "No. No, Gideon," she moaned. "No, no, no. NO! _Gideon!" _Her voice turned shrill, all of its usual music stolen by her grief. 'Lavi' heard a rustling from behind him, and turned to see Tyki slowly walking through the snow to her shivering, sobbing form. He was too distressed himself to pull her away.

"Gideon, open your eyes." She started shaking his shoulder lightly, "C'mon, Gid, wake up! Please!" She was hysterical now, "_Don't leave me!" _Rhiannon's scream tore through the other wise still night air. 'Lavi' watched the overwrought young woman shake the ebony-haired Fae's shoulder again in a vain attempt to revive him. 'Lavi' saw the colors she contained spreading into the world around her, violet and cerulean and crimson and ivory and ebony and silver. Tyki dragged Rhiannon away from the prone body that once was Gideon, and 'Lavi' was struck with the realization that his world of ink and paper would never be the same.

* * *

In what seemed like a dream, Tyki pulled me out of the forest and back inside the manor, where my friends and family waited fidgeting for us to return. Lena ran up and started talking rapidly in Russian, then choked on her words when she saw my empty eyes. Her eyes widened, and her scream of grief rang through the halls of the manor. The Fae all rushed forward to support her as she fell back, her legs giving out.

I turned without motivation to meet the eyes of my family and the Exorcists. Lenalee and Road covered their mouths to keep their own cries at bay. This was not their place to mourn, and they knew it. The Fae were speaking in hushed Irish. I was too emotionally numb to answer their questions. I waited for the tears to come back, but mine were spent. I turned with a slight jump when the door opened with a bang and Lavi, Allen, and Dietrich walked in brushing off snow. I strode over to them with the Earl, Tyki and Sheril behind me.

"We moved him but..." Allen whispered, "There's no way we can dig a grave in a short amount of time."

"That won't be needed." My voice was much steadier than I felt, "Our people don't bury our dead."

"You can't mean...!" Sheril caught his yell, "A funeral pyre?"

Dietrich nodded, "That's the way it's always been done, and that's the way we'll send him off now." Tyki looked about to protest until I laid a hand on his arm.

"Please, help us?" His eyes were pained, but he nodded nonetheless. The Earl stayed behind while Tyki, Allen, Lavi, Dietrich, and I walked back into the snow, gathered armloads of wood from the side of the house and began to build the pyre in the clearing next to the fountain where I had first learned of my past. None of us spoke until the last twig had been placed against the side. Tyki and I went back into the house to fetch the others while Allen, Lavi, and Dietrich ran back to where they had hidden Gideon. The large group wordlessly stood in the cold glow from the iron lamps, and Ianto, who at some point had created a torch, lit it and led the procession through the silent woods, the fire casting twisted shadows from the branches overhead. We circled the pyre and fountain, waiting.

There wasn't another sound until Allen, Lavi, and Dietrich slowly and purposefully walked into the light, carrying a large bundle wrapped in a red cloth. I didn't know where they got it from, but I didn't want to think too much about it. They rested the bundle down on the pyre, which was taller than Road, and stepped away. I saw Dietrich quickly pocket something. Ianto walked around the pyre, lighting it as he went, then stopped in his original place. The crackle of flames was overpowering, and the Noah and Exorcists seemed to be waiting for one of the Fae to say something. Instead, we sang. The first verse was sung in Gaelic, then it was repeated with the rest of the song in English.

_"May the road rise up to meet you,_

_May the wind be always at your back, _

_May the sun shine warm upon your face, _

_And the rains fall soft upon your fields._

_Until we meet again, my friend,_

_Until we meet again!_

_May God hold you in the palm of his hand._

_May the road rise up to meet you, _

_May the wind be always at your back, _

_May the sun shine warm upon your face,_

_And the rains fall soft upon your fields_

_Until we meet again, we meet again!_

_May God hold you,_

_In his hand."_

The last note resounded off the trees, and the clearing was still once again. The pyre was mostly burned, having been given a little push by Fae magic. A few in the clearing had tears in their eyes, but no more fell.

I flinched when I heard Seraphiel laugh in the back of my head, and saw the other Noah, Allen included, do the same. I then heard another voice, very soft and far away to the North, and turned to face it. The rest of my family was awakening.

* * *

**So, the ending to this chapter kinda sucks, but hey, I posted twice in one day, and wrote this while crying my eyes out, give me a break, huh? With this chapter, Silver Rain, Crimson Snow passed 40 reviews!  
**

**Anyway, that was a real Irish blessing, not something I came up with. Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	25. Field of Innocence

_**...Chapter Twenty-Four: Field of Innocence...  
**_

"You felt it, too?" Devit muttered. Jasdero and Road nodded wordlessly. The Exorcists were watching our reaction with a mix of fascination and fear, while the Fae looked baffled.

"What? Felt what?" Ianto turned from side to side waiting for an answer, eyes wide. He grabbed my arm and I swatted him away, annoyed as I tried to listen. The voice was very faint, a whisper carried from over the mountains. With a gust of wind that buffeted the flames back to a roaring bonfire, the words were finally clear, and I knew where to look for the newborn Noah. I couldn't fight the smile the stretched my features at the location, and Allen gave me a strange glance when he saw, a question written in his eyes.

"We're in luck," now everyone was looking at me weird. "They're in Scotland, which is on our way." Several people nodded, relieved.

Devit stopped, an expression of concentration on his face, "But... where exactly are we going again?" Both he and Jasdero gazed at me pleadingly while Marco and Dante snickered. I saw Viktor reach over and smack the Fae twins on the back of their heads, which elicited a snort from Kanda.

"We, my dear Devit, are going to Avalon. The home and birthplace of the Fae." I said grandly.

* * *

The group split into six, one group of seven and five of six, and piled into the covered sleighs. Tyki sat next to Allen and Rhiannon, the Earl sat with Road and Dietrich, and Sheril drove, since most of the servants had run off into the night after the assassin's raid of the manor. The sleigh's skylight had been left open so he could still hear what was being said.

"So explain this again," Sheril had to raise his voice to be heard over the wind, "Why are we taking a ship and not the Ark to Avalon?"

Dietrich spoke before Rhiannon could, "Avalon is surrounded with layer upon layer of Wards and technically exists in its own dimension, much like your Ark. If we were to attempt to enter Avalon by that method, we could be stuck in limbo for all eternity, or worse."

Allen jolted up, "Worse? How much _worse_ can it get?"

"Incineration," Dietrich shrugged noncommittally, "Electrocution. Being slowly crushed to the size of a shirt button. Drowning in your own blood." Allen and Road balked at the last one. "Among others." He grinned, and Rhiannon kicked him, knowing he was saying this just to upset the others. Dietrich glared at her, "What? Are you saying I shouldn't have told them?"

"Not in the way you did," she scowled at the older Fae. "You only said it in such a way to scare them." Rhiannon turned away to watch the passing forest out the window.

"So I should have lied, like what you've been doing for the past, oh, three weeks?" She winced at the jab and looked down to her hands, wringing her fingers in her lap. The Noah turned, shocked, to stare at the woman. "You didn't even tell them about your social standing, did you?"

"Of course she did!" Tyki cut in, "She's a Lord's daughter, and is supposed to inherit her father's title." He paused, "Right?" Tyki didn't sound all that sure about it anymore.

She continued wringing her hands, "That's not," she stopped to take a deep breath, then looked back up to meet Dietrich's gleeful eyes, "the whole truth."

Allen sighed and put his head in his hands, elbows on knees, "Then what is?" he pleaded, sounding tired.

Tyki saw Rhiannon's hands start to shake before she wound her fingers together and squeezed tight, "My father was a member of the Council of Elders. An old name that just stuck. As his daughter, I could get away with much more than other noblemen's daughters, including weapons training. However, the other Councilmen saw a woman learning the ways of the blade as a disgrace, and I was forced to stop taking public instruction."

"Then how are you so talented with a blade?" Sheril called over his shoulder.

"I was getting to that." Rhiannon teased, "My older brothers thought this wrong, and after coming home from school they would teach me themselves. I later learned that my parents knew the whole time, and were the ones to give them the idea in the first place." She laughed ruefully, "I gobbled up all they taught me, and eventually could fight on even ground with them. I started teaching what I knew to other noble's daughters, I'm sure you can guess who they were, and we joined together with a group of high-ranking boys to argue our cause to the Council."

"And what was that?" said the Earl.

"That women once again be allowed the right to learn to defend themselves and others. Years before my brothers and I were born, a law was passed that the warrior class would no longer allow women into their ranks."

"And how did it go?" asked Allen.

Rhiannon laughed without mirth again, "The motion was passed, but we were given a condition." The Noah were now leaning in close to her, eager to hear more, "For going against the laws of Avalon, and in order for the Council to pass the new law, those of us who went against them must join the military, with no chance of dismissal of any kind. Several of the Council members objected to this, as some of the others were their children, but the majority were in agreement. We were hesitant, but knew they were saying this to scare us away, but our only other option was imprisonment, for we had committed an act of treason. We accepted their terms, and the law was passed. I was only twelve at the time, but several others, Dietrich included, were over a hundred years old." All eyes turned to the aforementioned Fae, shock evident on their faces.

* * *

I saw the annoyed glare Dietrich gave me, but was past the point of caring. "We were put in divisions, and gradually rose through the ranks, until we had enough say to make divisions of our own, and banded together again. That's how we are now."

"So... There's more of you?" Road asked, amazement in her eyes.

My smile was genuine this time, "Yes, there are. Not as many as there once was, but still a large enough group."

"And what does this have to do with your position in society?" asked Tyki. Dietrich snickered again; I didn't even glance at him when I kicked his shin.

"The military is much like the nobility in the caste system. That is to say, a General had just as much pull as a Marquess. Unlike the human military, however, the Generals are chosen by skill, so someone of any age can become one, and have a ranking system of their own as well."

"You're a General... Aren't you?" Tyki asked hesitantly. "I remember Gideon saying something about it before Capture the Flag."

I nodded and turned to stare back out the window, "Yes, I am a General. I became one at the age of fifteen. I'm not particularly high-ranking, however, Viktor and Dietrich are both above me."

"So who are the other two Generals in the group that are with us? He said there were five."

I let Tyki's question hang in the air for a moment as I watched the harbor draw nearer, "Dante and Ianto." We pulled to a stop, and Road jumped out, inhaling the salty air deeply. We followed, and saw the other sleighs being emptied as well, the drivers blowing on their hands to warm them.

"Come on, this way!" Viktor shouted, already walking down the wharf. We hurried to keep up. At this time of early morning, the docks were just barely starting to fill with life, sleepy deckhands staring as we passed. Viktor led us to a medium sized ship, named _The Tatiana. _The name was no accident; this was a Fae ship, and the original bearer of the name was said to protect those who were transported on it. Cross was standing on the boarding plank, hands behind his back.

The others had already started boarding, until I was left alone on the dock. I took a steadying breath, then marched up onto the deck.

_**Ten days later**_

_Dear Diary,  
_

_ We didn't have time to mourn. We have been at sea for more than a week, and I'm starting to wish we were already at the Gates of Avalon. Never thought I would say that, but it's the truth. The waters weren't particularly rough, but we did hit a storm on the sixth day which forced us to drop anchor for a while. It passed quickly, and only set us back by half a day or so. Which means we'll be coming up on the Gates very soon, we passed Scotland four hours ago._

Someone pounded on the door to my and Road's shared cabin then sprinted off.

_I guess we're here. I'll write soon._

_~Rhiannon_

I set the journal back on my bed and hopped off the top bunk, picking up my skirts and running down the hall, up the stairs and onto the main deck, the pink and yellow clouds indicating it was around seven thirty. I pulled a crewman aside and asked what was going on, and he just pointed at the horizon. Not that far in front of the bow, barely visible through a glamour, was the arch the marked the entrance to Avalon. I focused intently on pushing the glamour back, and the Gates came into full view. Heavy-looking, made of white wood, intricately carved to depict the Battle of King Arthur and Mordred. I heard a gasp behind me, and turned to see the Noah and Exorcists staring, mouths agape, at the hidden entrance to the homeland of the Fae. I gave them a small, sad smile.

"I'm home." I turned and walked out to the very edge of the bow, climbing over the guardrail to be closer to the Gates. The ship kept moving until it was within five feet of them; if we got any closer I would surely die.

"I am Rhiannon Pietrovich-Dragomir, daughter of Gregorio Cathal Dragomir!" My voice echoed off the Gates, "I ask for permission to enter the realm of Avalon!" The crew, Fae, Noah, and Exorcists were silent, and there was no sound save the waves breaking on the hull. After several minutes of nothing, I thought we had been denied and climbed back over the rail.

I froze on the other side when a deafening creak was emitted from the Gates, and I turned, dumbfounded, to see them slowly swinging open inward. A loud cheer rang out from the deck, and I saw even Kanda smile. I grinned as well, and leaned on the guardrail as the ship once again started moving forward.

* * *

Tyki walked up to the woman standing at the bow and wrapped an arm around her waist. Rhiannon jumped and swatted his arm. "Be careful, or you'll fall." Tyki joked.

She rolled her eyes, "Even if I did, I could just swim to shore." Tyki's eyebrows drew together. "Look." Rhiannon motioned ahead, and Tyki turned to see the shore.

The shore was occupied by a city of white and gold, and it's beauty was beyond description. The buildings sparkled in the light of the winter sun and stretched on as far as he could see. Dotting the city were towers much like those in the original Ark, and mansions could be seen on the far off hills.

It took fifteen minutes to reach the docks, and another ten for the ship to be secured. The group followed Rhiannon as she confidently walked onto the wharf. When everyone was on solid land, she turned to them and said, "Welcome to Cathair na Gréine Ar Maidin. The City of the Morning Sun."

* * *

**And they're finally in Avalon! Rhiannon and the Fae are home! Please leave a review, it brightens my day so much!**

**So, this chapter is named after an Evanescence song (as are several others), and I highly suggest you listen to it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!**


	26. Walking The Path Of Stars

_**...Chapter Twenty-Five: Walking The Path Of Stars... **_**(Please read A/N!)  
**

The party of Fae, Noah, and Exorcists clambered off the boarding ramp and onto the shores of Avalon, the latter two groups gazing around in bewilderment at the ethereal wonder of the City of the Morning Sun. The buildings were constructed of white marble and limestone, and the metal-workings, banners, and streets glowed gold in the early morning light.

"No wonder it's named the City of the Morning Sun*..." Allen breathed. Rhiannon brushed a hand over his shoulder as she passed, and when he turned to meet her eye she offered a peaceful smile. _Odd_, he thought, _she looked so reluctant to come here not that long ago._

Don't worry yourself about that, laddie," Allen jumped at the rumbling baritone of Ianto. "She'll look like that for a while, until we get back to the legislative Capitol." At Allen's doe-eyed, confused look, he laughed loudly, which drew the eyes of several of their party and some passers-by. Ianto clapped a hand over the young Noah's shoulder, jarring him slightly, "Oh, there's three Capitols, Allen. This is just the commerce Capitol of Avalon!" The redhead started to pull the shorter male alongside him as he strolled up what looked to be the main road. The street was slowly coming alive with stalls and shops opening up along the glimmering paving stones.

Allen stumbled after the Welshman for a few steps before regaining his balance, "And what are the other two?" He wanted to know all he could about Rhia's homeland.

Ianto glanced down at Allen, one side of his mouth quirked into a knowing smirk, "Well, laddie, there's Cathair na Gealaí Gibbous*, the City of the Waning Moon. That's the judicial Capitol. And there's Cathair na Réaltaí ag Titim*, the City of the Falling Stars. That there city is the legislative Capitol, and in my opinion, the most beautiful of them all." Ianto released his grip on Allen's shoulder as Road ran to catch up to the two. "I'll leave you and your girlfriend alone," he smirked again, and this time there was a sharp edge to the man's demeanor that Allen did not like in the slightest.

"She's not my girlfriend," Allen grumbled, flinching when Road wound her arm with his.

"Yet." Road replied with a wicked grin. The two stopped as a tall man with curly, blue-black hair pulled into a tail at the back of his neck ran past, catching up to the woman in the gray dress walking next to General Cross.

Tyki tapped Rhiannon's elbow as he slowed to walk next to her, the bastard Cross on her other side, "So," he was slightly winded after running from the pier to where his fiance and the redhead were walking side by side up the main street, "where are we headed?" His breath was heavy despite his attempts to hide it, and he started to fan himself with his long coat (in his defense, it was late spring temperatures on the coast).

"Lena's parent's house." Rhiannon said as she turned onto a side street, just as well maintained as the main one. "We'll get clean clothes and transport there."

"Why do we need different clothes? We look fine." General Cross asked the Fae.

She chuckled, "Allow me to rephrase that. We'll need to change into the clothes of Avalon to prevent unnecessary attention on our journey." Both men nodded in understanding. If clothes alone could cause unwanted questions, Tyki couldn't even imagine the barrage that would ensue from their true nature as human, and not Fae of any kind.

* * *

I watched my friends and family talk, laugh, and point things out to each other as we strolled on. We had now passed into the dignitaries district of the city; the houses now had gardens and yards inside their gates. As we passed the home of a very well known flower faerie, I stooped to run my fingers over the petals of the ginger plants spilling out of the golden fenced yard. The house was barely visible through the thicket of flora; with the help of Fae magic and trellises, they had grown to the height of the small eucalyptus trees in Portugal.

Cleona, Deirdre, and Luca, who were at the front of the crowd walking up the road, stopped at a pair of gates worked to depict horses galloping and rearing up, and a Grecian house rose up beyond them. The smells of hay and horse could be smelt even from the gates, but it wasn't unusual for this family. The Petipas family were the most widely known Kelpies this side of the island, and the most respected. They never mistreated their horses, and always let in visitors with open arms and a warm meal.

Lena skipped up to the gates, pulling an intricately made key out of the top of her dress and slid it into a hidden keyhole in the gate. They swung open with a _whoosh _of air, ruffling everyone's hair. I looked back at the sound of a growl to see Kanda attempting to flatten his long tresses down, and he glared when he saw me staring over my shoulder. My head whipped back around, and I snorted once, choking back the rest of my laughter. I followed the petite blonde Fae through the gates and up the stone path to the mansion's dark oaken doors. Lena easily pushed them open, and they swung back on well oiled hinges.

"You're home!" A loud, female voice squealed from inside.

"Leoma!" Lena ran to embrace her younger sister. It was difficult to tell which was older unless you knew them; Leoma was two inches taller than her 5'2" sister. The girls could have passed as twins, however, as their facial structure was nearly identical. Lena and Leoma ran off, leaving the rest of us standing around awkwardly on the stoop and in the foyer. About three minutes later, the girls rushed back with an older looking woman of average height in tow. "See, Mama? I brought my friends with me!"

Lady Petipas glanced around with eyes wide and smile wider at the sheer number of us, "That you did, my dear. Oh, and you brought Rhiannon with you!" The older Fae hugged me tight, her head just barely reaching my collarbone. "Oh, you just must stay for supper!" Her bragh was getting thicker with every word, something that happened a lot around here as people got excited.

I let the older woman go, and she followed suit with a puzzled look, "I'm sorry, Leanne, but we can't stay long. We have to get to the legislative Capitol in two days, so we have to start out now." She gave me a sad nod.

"Then I suppose you'll be needin' new clothes?"

* * *

Tyki and Allen tugged on the belts that cinched the waists of their tunics. At least they had gotten trousers and not leggings like Ianto and Luca. _Small miracles, _thought Tyki as he regarded himself in the bronze mirror hung on the hall in between bedrooms. The girls were farther down the hall, and the men could hear them laughing from where they stood.

"I wonder whose these are?" Allen asked rhetorically.

"They were my brothers." Lean skipped up to them, wearing a red velvet gown. It was odd not seeing women wear padding here.

"Were?" Tyki asked delicately. Lena just shrugged.

"He's with my father in the City of the Falling Stars, studying how to be a Councilman."

"Ah." The three halted their conversation when Dietrich roughly pulled open the door behind them. His dark blue eyes narrowed at their sudden lack of talk, then motioned his younger brother down the stairs and back to the foyer. The Noah shrugged at each other with a look of _What can you do? _The group of five turned as another latch clicked open, and Road sprinted out into the hall, wearing a tunic much like Tyki and Allen's without leggings. It didn't really matter, though, it was past her knees. She was followed by Leanlee and Rhiannon. Lenalee wore a dress of green silk, shot through with threads of gold. Rhiannon wore a plain blue gown of velvet. Both had belts of interlocking rings that ended in a strand of the rings hanging to their knees and a single braid thrown over their shoulders.

Ianto leaned casually against the wall, "Took you long enough."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rhiannon snapped back. "Let's see you braid hair as long as ours in less than fifteen minutes."

Ianto held up his hands in defeat, mock bowing, "Please forgive me, O Great One!" Rhia's left eye twitched and she smacked Ianto's arm. The 6'2" redhead just shrugged and led the way to the foyer, where the rest of the Fae, Noah, and Exorcists waited. Tyki glared when he saw Cross hadn't changed out of his uniform, and the older man smirked. Lena's mother stood wringing her hands in an apron near the door.

"Please, follow me to the stables," she pulled the doors open just as easily as her daughter had and tottered out to the yard, following a stone path to the side, where a long structure sat. The end that was visible had a similar pattern as the gate on the door. When Leanne pulled it open, the stench of horse became stronger and the sounds of them could be heard. The stables were huge, and housed more than forty horses. It was obvious that there weren't normally this many, as several were doubled up. "Take your pick." The Lady waved them on, and the group took turns finding a horse to suit them. When they had chosen their horse and led them out to the yard, a gaggle of servants stood with saddles and bags for each traveler. They would later find out that the bags held meat sandwiches and ceramic bottles of water, as well as cloaks and gloves.

When each horse was saddled and the riders seated, Rhiannon yelled, "Hup!" and kicked her steed on. The black stallion responded instantaneously, and they were on their way. The party waved to the Lady as they rode out the gates, and tears could be seen in the Fae's eyes. They rode out of the city at a canter, and people on the street stared as they passed. In all honesty, they were a very large group of travelers. The party rode until high noon, having left at around seven, and by then the scenery had changed from a tropical wonderland to flowery meadows, rolling hills, and maple, oak, and pine forests. Each passed quickly and blended into each other, but something was obviously different. The colors were more vibrant and waters clearer, the scents of flora sweeter.

The party unsaddled in an open field overlooking a lake, and the water sparkled like a cut gem in the noon sun. The air here was colder, and they were all glad when the cloaks were pulled from saddlebags. The food was eaten quickly with little chatter and the water bottles refilled.

As they were riding on, a group of children yelled greetings at them from the water and banks of a river. A young redheaded girl ran to them, and Rhiannon halted their forward movement. When the girl reached them, she handed Rhiannon a small bouquet of wildflowers. She thanked the girl, and waved enthusiastically with a wide smile as they traveled into another thicket of trees.

Rhia was slightly ahead of the others, and Tyki urged his horse forward to catch up. She turned with a raised brow when he did. "Something's been bugging me." She hummed for him to continue, "You said you were twelve when you argued your cause to the Council. Isn't that a bit young?"

She rode in silence for another minute, then said quietly, "My brothers and I all matured rather quickly. A side effect of being half-bloods." She shrugged like it meant nothing, "By the time I was twelve, I was the equivalent of a sixteen-year-old. I could have been mistaken for twenty at sixteen, and I have not aged since."

"Huh." Tyki contemplated this for a moment, "So, it was mental maturity as well as physical?"

Rhia laughed, "In a sense. I was still a pre-teen at heart." They lapsed back into silence, and smiled when the other Fae's songs reached them. Tyki looked down in alarm at his horse, a magnificent Gypsy, when she snorted in exertion. It was then that he noticed they were on an incline, and the path was getting steeper. He glanced at Rhiannon to see her reaction, and she turned back to yell to the others, "We're almost there!" The crowd of Fae, Noah, and Exorcists cheered. The forest was dappled with the red and orange light of the setting sun, and their butts were sore after galloping half the way.

The sun just scarcely cast a sliver of light on them as they reached the top of the peak they had been climbing, and the waning moon pooled a pale silver glow over the valley below them. The city built in it was of white and silver, and the buildings ignited with white light in the muted moonlight.

Rhiannon once again turned to face the others, "Welcome to Cathair na Gealaí Gibbous! The City of the Waning Moon."

* * *

**Okay, more description of Avalon. Please leave a review! And with this, I reached twenty-five chapters and 55,000 words! There's another story that needs some love, though, and that's _Sight, _by author12306. It's an amazing Marie story, and the author herself is a total sweetheart.  
**

***1) The City of the Morning Sun is like Fiji or Morocco.**

***2) The City of the Waning Moon is like Bucharest or Berlin.**

***3) The City of Falling Stars is like Dublin mixed with Rome.**

**Silver Rain, Crimson Snow now has a playlist! Look for the SR,CS playlist on Youtube by Hope Jones!**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to own, D Gray-man or it's characters!**


	27. By Moonlight And Winter's Snow

_**...Chapter Twenty-Six: By Moonlight And Winter's Snow...**_

I guided my horse forward, down the steep and rocky hillside. My friends and family followed at an equally slow pace, and dislodged rocks tumbled down past the hooves of our horses, landing with clatters at the bottom of the ridge. Any trees and underbrush had long since been uprooted to provide the guards of the city a full, all around view of the valley. The city was on a vertical outcropping with four bridges at the cardinal points allowing access over a deep gully, with each connecting to a pair of gates with reliefs made in minute detail.

"Be prepared to dismount and be searched!" I said, more for the Noah and Exorcists than the Fae; they had been here more than enough times to know what to expect. As we neared the gates of the City of Silver, I saw just what I had warned the others about. Thirty guards, half with swords drawn, the other half with full quivers and arrows nocked. Both glimmered sinisterly in the moonlight, and it was obvious that if we were to cause any trouble we would not live for long after. I held up a hand for us to come to a standstill at the Eastern bridge and dismounted. I heard everyone else do the same, and then the metal-on-metal sound of blades being sheathed and the click of boot heels as the guards started towards us.

"State your purpose!" yelled one guard, the Captain's armband circling his left arm, when he reached the end of the bridge.

"We wish to find lodging in Cathair na Gealaí Gibbous, so that we may be rested for our journey to Cathair na Réaltaí ag Titim." Dietrich strode to the front of the group, confidence in his step.

The Captain inspected Dietrich from head to foot, "And why would _you _have business in Cathair na Réaltaí ag Titim? Who are you?"

Dietrich laughed good-naturedly, "Well, my good man! My name is Dietrich Tolstoy, the First General of the Twentieth Contingent, and I am in the company of Rhiannon Dragomir, Third General of the Twentieth Contingent and clan leader of the Dragomirs. We have a War Council to attend, and it just so happens to be tomorrow!" He narrowed his eerie eyes at the poor foot soldier. "You wouldn't want us to be late, now would you? What's your name, soldier?"

"Uh, Fluhartey! Sir!" He added the 'sir' as an afterthought, and there was panic in his rushed tone. "Please, we welcome you to the City!"

Dietrich tilted his head to stick his nose in the air, "Is that so?" He pursed his lips, "Isn't it against military policy to not check someone for their traveling papers? Or search their bags?" I tried to hide my smile at Fluhartey's blanched face, shining just as much as the granite streets of the city.

"Er, ye-yes Sir..." he fumbled over his words. Dietrich just shook his head and rummaged around his saddlebags.

"What travel papers? I don't remember you saying anything about them!" Tyki hissed in my ear and I swatted him away. He was spitting on me.

"We got them from the ship's captain two days ago. Don't worry about it, we only need them here. The security is tighter here than anywhere else on Avalon, the prison is housed in those walls," I whispered back.

"These all seem to be in order!" Fluhartey yelled, handing the papers back to Dietrich and crossing his hands behind his back. "If you will allow us to search your bags and persons, you may be on your way."

Dietrich looked back at me and the other Generals, and we shrugged, nodding to our companions. The guards plodded off the bridge, searching people and bags for dangers to the city and its inhabitants. We were cleared one-by-one, and given a pass into the city. We re-mounted and followed Fluhartey to the gates, where he called for them to be opened; they did with an ominous creak. And we were in, the horses hooves clopping on the granite paving stones. The buildings were made of similar materials as the City of the Morning Sun, but the architecture couldn't be more different. The City of the Morning Sun was comprised of Grecian and Moroccan houses; the City of the Waning Moon was a bizarre mix of onion-topped castles and Gothic cathedrals, with a hearty dash of Baroque towers. The houses themselves looked like something out of a book of stories, which, I guess, they were. We were in Avalon...

I shook my head to clear it, allowing Svetlana to pass me as she led the way to her childhood home. As we followed her, clouds rolled over the stars and moon, and lanterns with blue flames flared to life along the street. Wind swept down from the hills, bringing with it snow. The party was soon shivering and shuddering with cold. _How could I forget how unpredictable the weather is here in winter? _I berated myself. I was very grateful when we stopped at the Meryinsky's front door, and Svetlana led us to the back of the house (read: mansion) and to the stables. Our horses weren't all too happy about doubling and tripling up, but it was the easiest way to keep them warm. I caught Dietrich glaring at Tyki as we trudged back to the front door, and looped my arm with Tyki's defiantly.

* * *

Tyki jumped when Rhiannon linked her arm with his, as he had been talking to the Earl and hadn't seen her walk up to them. He glanced down at her, and, seeing her glower fiercely at someone, looked back up to meet Dietrich's equally fiery gaze. Tyki heard Joido snarl in anger, but chose to ignore it, smirking and pulling the tall woman closer.

"As I was saying, Earl, that was a close call." He spoke a little louder than socially polite, making sure Dietrich could hear him, "Those guards sure gave us odd glances when they saw our clothes in the saddlebags."

The Earl caught on rather quickly, and chuckled, "That they did. But, I was told by Ianto that we can change back as soon as we reach our destination." Tyki couldn't hide his relief at those words. It felt so strange to be without his suit. Not as strange as the Earl looked in his tunic, though. The three Noah passed under a tree and the snow let up for a few seconds, and they were in the front yard. The mansion soared above them in Gothic relief, and the tall mahogany doors were elaborately carved. Svetlana guided them into the equally elaborate interior. Everything was made of dark woods and pale stone, and servants raced down the spiral staircase to take everyone's cloaks and lead them to their rooms for the night. No questions asked.

"Here we are, sirs," a female servant pushed open the aged oak door, revealing a room with two wide beds, and Tyki and Sheril walked in with mouths agape. Their estate paled in comparison to the Meryinsky's, and they felt a little jealous. The room even had a roaring fire and a balcony.

The two brothers were pulling off their boots when a knock sounded from their door. They had a glaring match, and Tyki, being younger, lost. He stood clumsily and stalked to the door, one sock still on his left foot. Tyki yanked open the door, annoyed at his loss to his silly brother. Rhiannon stood at the other side, smiling. She glanced down and hid her mouth as she snorted. A rather unladylike sound. He followed her line of sight to his feet. He still had that sock on. He leaned on the door frame to pull it off, and turned, aimed carefully, and hit his brother square in the face. Sheril fell backwards off his bed, the closer to the door, with an undignified squawk.

"I'm okay!" Sheril yelled, pointing one finger to the ceiling. He pulled himself off the floor slowly, testing his footing and waiting for his younger brother to throw something else at him. When Tyki didn't, he brushed his tunic off, "I think I forgot to tuck Road in for the night."

Both Rhiannon and Tyki watched him leave in amused silence. He never tucked Road in. "Well, now that we're alone," Tyki bowed grandly, holding a hand out to Rhiannon which she took with a grin, "how about we take one last look at this magnificent city?" Rhiannon rolled her eyes but followed him nonetheless. He led her out to the balcony, which overlooked the building Viktor had pointed out as the courthouse and the city square. The streets broke off from the square like the spokes of a wheel, dividing the city into twelve sections. The clouds had roiled away, but snow still fell lightly, and the streetlamps cast blue light around the city. The Noah left the door to the balcony open, and the fire warmed their backs as they leaned on the railing.

"Something's been on my mind for a few days now." Tyki said after a few moments.

"Hmm." Rhiannon turned her head to meet his eyes. "And what would that be?"

"It's something Cross said." That got the expected reaction; Rhiannon flinched at his words. She hummed for him to continue. "It's true that neither of us asked the other for their hand in marriage, we just started saying we were engaged after the Earl gave us the ring."

She didn't speak for another minute, and her voice was shaky when she did, "Is that all?"

"Not really," he reached over and tugged the ring off her left hand, "I've decided to take the leap, but I don't really want to get snow on my trousers, so I'm not fond of the idea of getting on one knee and begging." She swatted him, but her cheeks were flushed pink. "So, shall we finish what our previous lives could not? Will you give me the honor of calling myself your husband?" Tyki pleaded, slipping the ring back on her thin finger.

Rhiannon hid her face in her hands, resting her back on the railing. Tyki panicked, afraid she would refuse, until she nodded mutely. He pulled her hands away, and a tear fell down her cheek. Seeing his confusion, she said, "Happy tears, moya lyubov'*" Rhiannon grinned through her tears, and stood on her toes to peck him on the lips. He wouldn't let her go that easily, though, and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her back to him, kissing her passionately. Rhiannon arms came up to snake around his neck, breaking away only when the wind picked back up and blew the snow on the balcony around their heads. They released each other and Rhiannon raised her arms above her head in an attempt to capture a snowflake or two. Tyki couldn't help but laugh with her.

Their laughs stopped and Rhiannon's arms dropped to her sides when the knob on the bedroom door opened with a creak, and in sauntered Sheril, looking very pleased with himself. Tyki growled under his breath, then said to his brother, "You creep. You were listening the whole time, weren't you?"

"Who, me?" Sheril asked with false innocence, resting a hand on his chest for emphasis.

Rhiannon laughed again, "Don't worry about it. I'll see you in the morning," she left with a smile, turning to shut the door while still watching the brothers. Tyki glared at Sheril long after she left.

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, Cleona was snoring in the bed next to mine. The fire had long since burned out, and the floorboards were cold. I hurriedly tugged my velvet dress over my shift, pulled on my wool socks, and tied the laces on my boots. I had used an old camping trick and kept my clothes at the foot of my bed under the covers, so they were toasty warm. I sighed at a particularly loud snore, and reached over to shake Cleona awake. She groaned and tried to swat me away, but I persisted. She eventually sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"What?" she grumbled.

"It's time for breakfast, we only have thirty minutes before we have to set out." I explained, being careful of my choice of words. Cleona was taking the loss of Gideon the hardest out of all of us.

She nodded numbly and rolled ungracefully out of her bed, pulling her own clothes out of the covers. Once she was properly dressed, we walked to the Meryinsky's dining room. I had never been there, and only found my way from a servant pointing us in the right direction. The dining room was all flying buttresses and floor-to-ceiling windows, the walls as elegantly sculpted as the circular stairs and the mantlepieces. Most of our party was already seated at the long mahogany table, which could seat just as many people as the Noah's.

Breakfast was quick and without chatter. Tyki didn't walk in with Sheril until we had ten minutes left, and by that time all the seats near me were gone. Allen shrugged and stuck out his tongue, something he normally wouldn't do, but he had been acting a little odd since his awakening as a Noah. I was starting to think his and Nea's personalities were merging.

After the plates were cleared, we were handed our cloaks in the foyer, and were back out in the snow. The horses had already been prepped, and all we had to do was saddle up and kick them on. The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we passed through the still-asleep city, and then through the Western gate and over the bridge. Going up the ridge wasn't any easier than going down. We left the City of the Waning Moon in a cloud of mist rising out of the gully. Today we rode at a full gallop, and I stood in the stirrups to save my butt from some of the torture. Instead of forests and meadows, we passed villages and towns that were slowly coming to life. I had chosen the quietest path out of the City of the Morning Sun yesterday, but we were running late if Dietrich had said the War Council was today. I knew very well he wouldn't lie about such a thing. I urged my stallion faster, and he complied with a snort. I grit my teeth as we continued to ignore the pain, and it paid off. We would make it in half the time I thought we would.

I could see a mountain rising in the distance before I let up on my horse, Sila*, and motioned for the others to do the same. It was well past noon, and I could hear Allen's stomach from the front of the party. He was close to the back, and his neighbors were giving him nasty looks. I pulled out my lunch and ate quickly, not wanting to waste any time. The others seemed to share my sentiment, and the food was put away half-finished.

We rode even faster than earlier, if possible. The mountain drew nearer and nearer, until we were less than a league* away from it. Nestled on the foothills was a city of white and bronze. The buildings appeared Roman, while the countryside was all Irish. In other words, it looked like someone had uprooted Rome and plunked it on top of an Irish hillside and called it good. I didn't call back to the party; they all knew where we were and we didn't have time. I led them around the city limits to one of the farther hills. Gone was the snow and ice, but the air was still biting. I stopped in front of the gates of a villa. Etched on the solid bronze gates was my family crest; a dragon curled around a thorny rose and breathing a tongue of flame. The gates swung open of their own volition when I dismounted, and I held onto Sila's reigns to guide him into the familiar courtyard. Circling the house were flowers, fruit trees, and creeping vines, and in the center a fountain played a soothing song.

The group of Noah, Fae, and Exorcists trailed behind me to the far side of the compound where a corral was standing, and I pulled open the X shaped gate. We unsaddled the horses and took the bits out of their mouths; they immediately turned to ignore us and nibbled at the grass and oats in the troughs. I nodded to the house, and the large group followed me to the main entrance at the front of the villa.

I froze stock still in the doorway, Allen bumping into my back. The house was different. My father and mother's portrait was gone from the wall. On the walls hung heavy drapes, keeping all light out. The marble floors were scuffed and unwashed. All the decorations were missing, leaving the house feeling empty.

But it wasn't. I could hear faint voices through the left corridor, and followed them, seeking answers and vengeance for the loss of the familiar objects. As I walked closer, I could make out what was being said.

"Take them all down!"

"B-but, sir, this is Lady Rhiannon's hom-"

"I said, take them down _now!_" I knew the bastard's voice, and could see the way too familiar blue-black hair with one streak of white, all combed back, giving the sharp planes of the man's face an altogether unpleasant appearance. I waved at the others to stay back, and I silently marched up to the man.

"Hello, brother dearest." Anatoly turned with a jump, just as my fist snapped forward and struck him squarely in his angular jaw.

* * *

**Progress, progress! So, I'm sure you can guess that brother and sister don't get along well, huh?  
**

***1) My love in Russian**

***2) Strength, also in Russian**

***3) A league is about 5.5 kilometers.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own its characters.**


	28. Preface To War

**I'm moving part of the A/N to the top for this chapter only. This story now has an RP blog on tumblr! The title is "Change is vital...", and the URL is studs-lace-and-leather. Please go give it love. Now, on to the chapter!**

* * *

**_...Chapter Twenty-Seven: Preface To War..._**

Tyki watched in awe as Rhiannon's fist snapped forward and connected with Anatoly's jaw with a no doubt satisfying _crack_. The tall, dark haired man stumbled back with a hand covering his steadily reddening chin, leaning unsteadily on the stone wall of the villa. Tyki and Allen stared wide-eyed at each other for a moment, then turned in shock at the sound of snickers behind them. Several of the Fae were snorting behind their hands at the scene, while the Noah and Exorcists were gobsmacked.

Anatoly staggered to his feet, "You'll regret that." He started towards her, pulling a knife from his belt.

"_Try me!_" Rhiannon growled, bending her arm and raising her right hand so the fingers were inches from her jaw. Black and purple energy flickered like lightning around her fingernails. _Dark Matter_, Tyki thought. The fact that she could control the Dark Matter so soon after her awakening was miraculous. But, desperate times, after all.

"You bitch," Anatoly backed away, knife clattering on the flagstones. "What in God's name did you _do?_"

Rhiannon snorted, "God has nothing to do with it. At least, not the one you're thinking of." She swept past him to walk along one wall where a long, low to the ground cupboard stood. There were places where dust had been disturbed and the gloss of varnish showed through, and carved into the top was the Dragomir's family seal. Rhiannon ran her fingers over the delicate-looking vines on the edge, "Killian?"

The servant who had been cowering in a corner holding a candelabra snapped to attention, smiling at his true employer, "Yes, my Lady?" Killian's added emphasis to the last word made Anatoly flinch.

"Tell the other servants to set the house in order before I return," she stopped tracing the shapes on the cupboard to give the man a smile, "We have guests." Killian's face split into a grin, and he sped off with a bow. "And as for you," all kindness was gone from Rhiannon's voice. Tyki knew that tone. It was the one she used when talking to Cross. She again turned around to regard her elder brother with a sneer, "You will accompany me to the War Council, and the Council will hear of your crimes."

"What _crimes_?" Anatoly gave the young woman a contemptuous smile, "I've done nothing to warrant a trial."

"You have broken into a Councilwoman's home. You have ordered servants that were not your own to take down family artifacts and heirlooms. And," she paused to exhale shakily, "you have attempted to murder said Councilwoman." At her last word, Dietrich and Viktor stepped around the Noah to grab Anatoly's wrists, pulling them roughly behind his back. When their captive tried to shake them off Dietrich kicked the back of Anatoly's knee, and he collapsed. While he was on the ground Viktor closed a set of manacles around his wrists. Ianto picked up the knife he had dropped with a handkerchief, and wrapped the fabric around the blade, never touching the metal.

"Anatoly Pietrovich-Dragomir," Viktor's deep, accented voice carried a grave tone, "You are under arrest for breaking and entering, attempted burglary, and attempted murder of a Council member." Viktor yanked Anatoly to his feet, "I highly suggest you stay quiet." Dietrich and Viktor led Anatoly away with Ianto behind them, Dietrich miming tipping a hat with an impish smirk as he passed Rhiannon. She remained blank-faced until the front door shut, then she rolled her eyes with exaggerated slowness.

"Stay here," she said to the party of twenty-three still in the foyer. "I can't attend Council while wearing this." Rhiannon rounded a corner and was out of sight.

For several minutes, the only sound in the foyer came from someone awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other. "So..." Devit muttered, "Why does she have to change for Council?"

Dante looked up from his nails, "The Council members are required to wear white. She wouldn't be allowed past the visitor's seats wearing blue." The Exorcists and Noah nodded in understanding, but it wasn't obvious if it was genuine.

* * *

I threw on the first white dress I could find. Just my luck it would be off-the-shoulder. I grabbed a fur-lined cloak as I made my way back to the entryway. Almost no one had moved, but the fabric that had been hung on the walls was now gone and the afternoon light filtered through the thick glass of the windows. None of them were near the ground, and Tyki or Sheril would have to jump to reach the casements. A young-looking girl was scrubbing the marble on the opposite side of the airy foyer, and the fragments of mica caught in the stone shimmered in the sunlight.

I clapped my hands together to get the attention of the others, giggling at the jumps from some of them. "Alright, let's get going!" I said as cheerfully as I could. No one protested, thankfully, and they pulled their cloaks back on as I passed the threshold. I was almost to the gate when Road caught my arm. I looked down at her with a question in my eyes and stopped walking to talk to her.

"Aren't we going to get the horses?" Road asked, her brows pulled together in confusion.

I patted her hair with a smile, "Not this time, _malyutka. _They've had to do most of the work the past two days, and they need a rest," I said reassuringly.

"Can we go see them after the Council?" Road was bouncing in place and giving me her best puppy-dog eyes. I laughed and nodded, pulling her by the hand to catch up to the others. Tyki caught hold of my other hand as I slowed my pace. With no Dietrich around to ruin to moment, I gladly accepted. I playfully swung our interlocked hands back and forth, and he grinned while still looking straight forward. We passed over hills and into the city, the buildings muted in daylight.

"It was pretty obvious why the other Cities had their names," Tyki said, finally meeting my gaze, "so why's this one called the City of the Falling Stars?"

I smiled mischievously, "You'll just have to wait until nightfall."

He smirked, "So you're not going to tell me?"

"Nope." I popped the last syllable. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

"You wound me, Rhia." I giggled, "Or should I call you Ree?" That earned a glower and an elbow to the ribs.

"Maybe you should call her bunny, Tyki." Road joked. If Sheril hadn't been behind us she would have gotten a smack to the back of the head. From me, of course. I shook my head and dropped the conversation, finally noticing what was going on around us. The shoppers and stall owners had all stopped whatever they were doing to stare at us as we passed. _Not good. _

The stares let up as we made it out of the market and into the official section of the City. The buildings looked stereotypically Roman, made of pale stone with detailed frieze and soaring columns. I stopped at the base of the stairs of a particularly lavish building. People of every nationality and state of dress were pouring into the open doors. Even though the architecture was Roman, the writing over the entry was Celtic.

"_The House of the Council of Elders_." I translated. "Here we go." I mumbled, and placed my foot on the first step.

* * *

Rhiannon had said farewell at a split corridor, and the Fae, Exorcists, and Noah now all followed Dante through halls and up several stairs of the Council chambers. He eventually stopped at a hidden door, and once the hall was otherwise empty, pushed it open to reveal a private box, not unlike the ones at an opera house. Allen walked to the rail to see a shimmering curtain of energy floating about two feet away from it. It didn't obstruct his vision, though. _Odd, _he thought. Allen craned his neck to see other boxes like theirs on both sides of the huge room. He could see movement in them, but couldn't make out how many people were in them. _So that's what the veil is for._

The room the Council was meeting in was at least five stories tall, and the seats down below were designed like the amphitheaters of old, and in the center were two dozen high-backed chairs standing in a U shape, open to the seating. In the center was a mosaic of a compass. Behind the chairs stood three dozen guards, all armed. The sun had begun to set, and the windows, high off the ground like the ones at Rhia's villa, were alight with gold. The amphitheater was now full and the sounds of talking rose to an intelligible babble. At the loud _bong _of a gong, the Fae down below sat as one. Silence followed.

Allen's eye was drawn to a door behind the farthest chair, to the South if the compass was correct. Out walked several men and a few women, all in bright white. They stopped in front of their chairs and sat in unison. The sun reflected off their garments, and Allen now understood why it was a requirement. It made them all look important, special. He also saw Rhiannon sit in the center of the U.

"This Council will now come to order!" A short, male guard called out.

"Thank you," said an older-looking man on the North side of the U. "Our first order of business today is a startling one, I must say. Are you certain you would like to go through with this, Councilwoman Dragomir?"

"I am, Councilman de Felice." Rhiannon nodded politely.

Councilman de Felice sighed heavily, "If you are sure then. Firstly, we will hold the trail of Anatoly Pietrovich-Dragomir. He is charged with breaking and entering, attempted burglary, and attempted murder of a Council member." The crowd burst into mutters at the charges, and a guard pounded his staff on the ground like a gavel. "Please bring out the prisoner." Dietrich, Viktor, and Ianto stepped out of a door opposite the one the Council had used, and were now in black, leathery-looking armor. The former two dragged Anatoly with them while Ianto still carried the knife and handkerchief. Dietrich and Viktor dragged Anatoly to the center of the compass while Into went to stand behind Rhiannon.

"This is ridiculous!" shouted a Councilman on the Southern end of the U.

"Councilman Borgia, hold your tongue!" de Felice spat back. Councilman Borgia leaned back after a contemptuous glare. "Anatoly, I must admit I didn't want to believe it myself, but the evidence is stacked against you in this matter."

Anatoly glared at the older Fae, "And what would that be, Councilman?" he ground out.

The Councilman sighed, "That you are working for the followers of the traitor Alexander. The Pure Ones, so they call themselves."

The roar from the crowd was deafening, but not so much as Councilman Borgia's laugh. "You must be joking?!" His exclamation quieted the crowd. "The Pure Ones? They are cowering in caves in South America!"

Rhiannon reached a hand back as Borgia continued to bellow, taking the knife from Ianto. He handed it over gladly. She stood, walked to the other Council member's chair and plunged the knife into the wooden armrest, using the handkerchief to keep the metal from touching her skin, "Then explain that."

* * *

**And I'm turning Rhiannon into a badass! Nothin' you can do now, Alexander! Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray-man or its characters!**


	29. Fírinne

_**...Chapter Twenty-Eight: F**__**írinne*...**_

The entire hall went silent as I plunged the dagger into the armrest of Councilman Borgia's seat._ Good, _I thought smugly, _exactly the reaction I was hoping for._

"C-councilwoman Dragomir, what-" stuttered Councilman de Felice, cut off by my lifting of a hand.

"Wait, my Lord. Watch the wood." As if on cue, the aged wooden armrest began to rot around the blade, becoming a vaguely green mulch. The crowd began to mutter, their voices an angry buzz behind me, and Borgia jumped up with a yell. The chair began to decay until the left armrest was completely gone, and the blade dropped to the flagstones with a clatter and an acidic fizz. The rot stopped spreading, but the mulch bubbled and frothed sickeningly.

"Let it be known!" I turned and yelled to the spectators, "That Anatoly Dragomir," I pointed to the aforementioned man, "was in possession of a Dark object!"

The spectators roared with disbelief, several jumping up and shouting at me and the other Council members. Anatoly attempted to stand, but Dietrich again kicked the back of his knee, and he dropped back down with a frustrated growl. Dietrich and Viktor tightened their grip on his arms. The guards quieted the crowd for my voice to be heard by pounding their staffs on the floor.

"I'll explain for those who have never before seen a Dark object," I still spoke to the crowd, but knew the words were more for my family than any of the Fae. "When an object of Dark origin, like this dagger," I gestured to it, not wanting it in my grasp again, "comes into contact with something of Light origin, like the ash-wood chairs of the Council members, unless it is another weapon the Light object will begin to decay, so long as the Dark item is still in contact with it."

"They are also outlawed in Avalon," muttered de Felice in wonder. "How came he by this?"

I shook my head negatively, "That I cannot answer. My educated guess would be he was in contact with one of Alexander's agents. A _mole_, shall we say?"

"You cheeky little-"

"Councilman Borgia, _hold your tongue!_ Or do I have to throw you out of these chambers?"

"May it be noted I never mentioned Councilman Borgia, but he still assumed it was him I spoke of." I turned with an amused smirk, "The first sign of guilt, some might say." The Councilman glared, but backed down. "Councilman de Felice, I shall turn these matters over to you," I nodded politely to the man while walking back and taking my seat.

"I believe matters here are done, actually. Anatoly, you will be sent to the City of the Waning Moon for your trial, and treason will be added to your charges."

"Anything else?" a very bored Councilwoman asked. She was new, and I couldn't remember her name.

"Yes, Councilwoman Bishara, there is," de Felice stood and faced the spectators, roaring, "As of this moment, the Fae are at war!"

After the declaration, the Council was dismissed. I waited for the crowd to disperse before finding the others. I was wearing a mischievous smile when I found them, and Dietrich regarded me with narrowed eyes.

"What did you do this time?"

"Why do you instantly assume _I _did something?" I pouted with false innocence. Road was rubbing off on me.

Dietrich laughed harshly, "Isn't this Rhiannon I'm speaking to? Or did the Noah inside you completely change who you are?" His words were bitter, and sharp as a razor. The other Fae, Noah, and Exorcists were watching the conversation play out with bated breath. They knew the tension between Dietrich and myself had been building since the morning after the ball, and all had been waiting for one of us to explode. I knew it as well, but had chosen to pretend nothing was wrong.

I stared at my toes, smile wiped from my face like old makeup, "It's still me, Didi." Tyki glared at the nickname, but I didn't care. Dietrich was supposed to be my oldest and most trusted friend and confidant, but he was treating me like a scorned lover.

"Oh, really? Because you sure as _hell _aren't acting like it!" We caught a few eyes at his shout, and even more when he stalked away and out into the cold. I continued to stare at my feet, all my earlier confidence gone in a single stroke.

"Come, my dear," the Earl laid a hand on my bare shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my boots. In his other hand was my fur cloak.

"Yes, my Lord?" I asked, voice tiny as he wrapped my cloak around me, closing the ornate clasp.

He smiled, a warm yet indescribably eerie smile, "We have family to find."

* * *

_**March**_

In the Ark, Tyki pulled the cuff over his right bicep, the other already on his wrist, and the rest of his arm was bare, displaying the scarification from his battle with Allen. How long ago it all seemed now. At the sound of rustling, Tyki glanced back at the rest of his family, also adjusting their new uniforms. All Road's idea, of course. His might have been revealing, but it least it was still flattering. And then there was Miatora's. Tyki hadn't the slightest clue how he saw out of that thing, but whatever suited his fancy he got to wear Tyki supposed.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Tyki turned to see Road, who was holding the hands of Allen and Rhiannon. All three of which were already dressed in their new _mandatory _(Tyki sneered at the word) clothes. Allen, who had grown almost an inch, had a long white coat fastened with a single clasp just above his bellybutton, his left arm bare, white trousers with a single gray stripe on the thigh, and knee-high black boots. Road wore a lily-shaped short white dress, purple ribbons on both arms and crossing her collarbones, white and purple striped stockings, and clunky white shoes with a pompom on the toe and frilly socks. Rhiannon also wore a long white coat, and hers was closed to just under her sternum and open in the back, and it flared in a slight ruffle to show her defined abdominal muscles, white arm bracers, and tight white pants, over which she wore black thigh-high boots. Her hair was styled into intricate curls and held back by a braided metal band.

Tyki smiled serenely, "Just my family almost complete." He reached out to ruffle Allen's hair, to the teen's annoyance, and pull both Rhiannon and Road into a side-hug, Road on his left and Rhiannon on his right.

"Just two left," Rhiannon murmured, leaning her head on Tyki's shoulder.

"But we don't know when Raasura is coming back," Road mused sadly.

Tyki hummed in agreement, then smiled again when he felt the rush of air that accompanied a new Ark door opening, and glanced down to see the inky blackness of the newest portal. "Well, we're about to meet our newest brother." Road and Rhiannon giggled and stepped away, Road closer to the Earl and Rhiannon next to Allen, who was now ever-so-slightly taller. Tyki's smile widened as he began to sink down through the portal.

* * *

The police officers nearly passed the urchin, until he started to scream and groan in pain, holding his head. The poor boy's shoes were hardly held together by tape and string, and his clothes were threadbare. Not that it really mattered on a pleasant March evening like this. But still, he was making a racket.

"Argh! My head! _It's splitting!_" The boy dropped to his knees and rested his head on the grimy street.

"Hey, look," the shorter police officer said to his partner, nudging his arm.

"Leave him alone," the other one replied with a noncommittal shrug, "Homeless people will do anything to get some food, you know."

Ignoring him, the shorter police officer rushed over as the boy fell to the ground, "Ah!"

"Geez," grunted his partner, jogging over to the rookie.

The shorter police officer moved the boy into his lap and shook him lightly, "Hey, get a hold of yourself."

"He got any money?" his partner asked, removing his hat, "It'd be useless to take him to a doctor if he didn't..." It was then that the two got a clear view of the boy's face. More specifically, the three extra eyes emerging on his forehead and his hair bleaching to white. The shorter officer dropped him with a shout.

"Wha-what's this guy!?"

"Hey!" yelled his partner, "He's got five eyes! _He's not human!_" The boy's eyes, all of them, trained on the officers, and they both fell back with grunts of pain and spurts of blood from their eyes, noses, and ears. They would never move or be seen again.

The boy, his skin darkening to umber and eyes shining amber, sat up gracefully, "Thirty-five years, huh?" He scratched his cheek, "This place is surprisingly empty."

"Thirty-five years ago," the newly awakened Wisely turned at the sound of a demented voice, smirking when he saw the Millennium Earl slowly rising out of an inky black pool. "When the Fourteenth was killed, you all received memory damage. There's been a big time lag since the last reincarnation~."

Wisely's clothes changed, becoming a revealing white bolero jacket and white harem pants, and his shoes became Arabic slippers. He was now surrounded by black pools, and the Clan of Noah rose out of them.

"Good morning, brother~,"the Earl sang, "You've finally come back~!" He ran through the introductions, but Wisely felt that something was off. Like there was something the Earl was leaving out.

"We're missing someone," he stated.

"Right you are," chuckled a female voice from behind him. Wisely turned to see a pair of pale-skinned people, one with long, curly black and silver hair and one with hair just as white as his. He stared at the row of stigmata on the woman's forehead and the man's detailed tattoo.

"We asked him to allow us to do our own introductions," said the white-haired one, "Abbadon, the Fourteenth Disciple." Wisely froze, searching the other teen's mind for any ill will. It floored him when he found none.

"And Seraphiel," said the woman with black and silver hair, "the Fifteenth Disciple."

Wisely actually backed up a few bewildered steps at her words, "H-how?"

"A big stroke of luck and the Order's meddling." The Earl stared at the youngest Noah over the rims of his glasses.

Seraphiel held out a hand to Wisely, "Now, what say you to a little revenge, hm?" She tilted her head to the side coyly, and her smile was positively evil.

* * *

**The next chapter is going to be a little creepy, I'll admit. And I had so much fun coming up with Rhiannon's Noah outfit. Please leave a review!  
**

***1) Firinne translates as 'Truth' from Irish. I don't really know why I picked that title anymore, maybe I just liked the word.**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to, own D. Gray-man or its characters.**


	30. Ultimatum

_**...Chapter Twenty-Nine: Ultimatum...**_

Lvellie didn't know when the storm rolled in, but it did so with a vengeance. He was returning to his office after a meeting with the Great Generals, and he left their chamber feeling more than a little aggravated. He grumbled over their chastisements all the way to his door, thunder rumbling ominously while rain pelted the castle's windows.

_"How dare you!" shouted the Great General farthest to the right, "How dare you send out the Thirds without the proper clearance?!"_

_"Need I remind you," Lvellie snapped, "That I have the clearance of a Central Investigator?"_

_"Not here!" The Great General in the middle exclaimed, "Here, if you wish to stay as Director, you follow _our _orders. And that is final!"_

"Final, huh? We shall see. Yes, once Central find out," he pulled open his office door, "we shall see."

"Talking to yourself, Malcolm?" Lvellie jumped at the female voice coming from his desk. "How unsightly." He could see someone reclining with their heels up on his desk, tipping the heavy chair back.

The voice was vaguely familiar, Lvellie just couldn't quite place it. And it was oh so syrupy sweet, like honey over ice. "Who are you? And how did you get into my office?" _This had better not be one of Cross's tricks. _Lvellie walked to the center of the room, closing the door tightly behind him.

"Aw, you don't remember me?" It sounded like the woman was pouting, "After all we went through together?" She swung her legs down, the front legs of the chair falling back to the ground with a hollow _thud_. The woman leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desktop and threading her fingers together. She placed her chin on her fingers just as a streak of lightning lit the windows, and for a split second the woman was in sharp relief. A row of stigmata, umber skin, and metallic eyes. A Noah. And not just any Noah.

It was the girl Lvellie had tried to turn into an Accommodator. Oh, what was her name again? Renee? No, Rosanna? That wasn't it, either. "It's rather blurred, to be honest."

The woman stood with practiced grace, tracing her hand on the carved edge of the desk as she strode to the front. Her long white coat was open under the sternum, revealing well toned abdominal muscles and a scar on her hip, and she sat on the edge of _his_ desk like she couldn't be anymore comfortable. "Well, I'll never forget what you did to me. Although, I suppose I should thank you." Her face was set into a smirk.

"And why is that?" Rowan? No, Rhianna. Closer. Rhiannon? That was it! "How did I _help _you, Rhiannon?"

Shock flickered across her fine features momentarily before she composed herself again, "Without your _meddling, _I never would have awakened. Whether that's something to celebrate over is entirely up to you, of course," her tone was lighthearted, joking even.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Lvellie's own tone was flat and disinterested.

"He's lying," a young, male voice called from behind him. Lvellie whipped around as another flash of lightning lit the windows, and he caught sight of four others, all wearing the same, strange white clothes.

* * *

"I know, Wisely. It's very obvious." I replied to my new nephew. Sheril predictably insisted on adopting the seventeen-year-old, and Wisely gladly accepted. "Road, come sit next to me." I waved the other Noah over, and she skipped to where I sat, bouncing up next to me on the desk and swinging her feet happily. "Tyki, Sheril, if you would stand next to our dear Director?" They did so with identical, sadistic smirks, and I could feel that I was wearing one as well. "Wisely, stay where you are and tell me if he's telling the truth or not, please."

I trained my expression back to one of professional detachment. "Now, if you would be so kind as to hear me out?"

"And if I do?" Malcolm Lvellie was regarding the brothers through narrowed eyes.

The Noah and I chuckled darkly, "We'll let you live." I smiled with false sweetness.

Lvellie's eyes turned back to me, "And what are your demands?"

"Good, good," I mumbled, "Firstly, you recall the treason charges for the five who released me from your clutches."

Lvellie growled, but said, "Done. Next?"

The fake smile was back, "Secondly, you return command of the European Branch to Komui Lee."

Lvellie lunged at me, but was held back by Sheril and Tyki grabbing hold of his arms, "I refuse. Only Central can decide who is Director."

"He's lying again," Wisely said calmly. I stood and began circling Lvellie, a tigress after her next meal. "He didn't have Central's permission, he acted on his own."

I laughed in hearty amusement, "Really? You petty, miserable man. Couldn't even _ask _before overthrowing a system for it to work in your favor," I laughed again, "You're pathetic."

"Fine," Lvellie spat, "Lee will be Director again. Next?"

"Thirdly," I stopped circling, again leaning against the front of the desk, "you call off your dogs."

"Dogs? Whatever could you mean?"

"Lying!"

"Thank you, Wisely. I mean," my voice shook for a split second, and I steeled my resolve to not let my weakness be heard by this wretched man, "the abominations you sent to our estate. The half-Akuma assassins. Any of this ringing a bell? Need I remind you that Wisely will tell me the truth after picking it from your brain?" As Lvellie was about to protest, Tyki and Sheril audibly tightened their grips on his arms.

"You mean the Thirds. They'll leave you alone from here on out. Anything else?"

"Lastly," I walked to Lvellie, until I stood nose-to-nose with the man, "You will atone for the death of my friend at the hands of those _Thirds_."

The tall man glared down at me, and Tyki struck the back of his head, "I suggest you agree with her. She's been aching for a fight ever since, and I highly doubt you would last long." Sheril chuckled in agreement.

"And how do I go about _atoning _for this death?"

I backed off a few steps, "Hm. Haven't decided yet." I reached back for Road's hand, and she hopped off the desk to wind her fingers with mine, "We'll be in touch." I led Road around the men to the office door, Wisely right behind us. Sheril and Tyki released Lvellie to follow us. I had just opened the door when Lvellie called after me.

"And why should I go through with your demands?"

"Aren't you at all curious as to how we got here? How I knew which office was yours? How I knew what time you would be returning? And never forget, I am currently allied with six of your most powerful Exorcists." I turned back to find Lvellie staring after me, "Wisely, if you would."

"Yes, Rhia," I felt rather than heard the Dark Matter flicker through the air, and Lvellie slumped over with a groan, unconscious. I watched my torturer's pain with an apathetic expression, but felt a thrill of triumph.

"Hmph. Let's go." I turned back and walked out the doorway, to the black Ark gate hidden behind a corner.

"Yes, ma'am," Tyki laughed and grabbed my other hand. My family and I walked into the Ark together, found the next door needed, and were greeted by the most welcome sight of Sheril's estate on the other side. We walked side by side to the front porch, where Allen, Ianto, and the Earl had brought wrought iron chairs from the back to wait for us. The snow was long gone, and the March night was sweet with the scents of flowers, and the sky was clear and filled with stars and a full moon was rising.

* * *

"How did it go?" Allen asked, standing as the other Noah approached. Road released Rhiannon's hand and ran over to grab Allen's. He gladly accepted.

"Splendidly. Who knew our sweet Rhiannon would be such an able interrogator?" Sheril replied with a warm smile and side hug to the aforementioned Noah, who flushed a deep pink.

Ianto laughed, "Ah, we taught her well!" Tyki canted his head to the side in question, and Ianto's smile widened as Rhiannon's blush deepened, "I'm part of the intelligence service back home. We asked for Rhia's help on a few missions; her looks came in handy a few times." Tyki didn't look happy, but nodded in understanding.

The Earl watched all this with an amused smile, "Shall we join the others? Dinner has been awaiting you."

Dinner was loud, crowded, and full of laughs. Tyki had to escape. Halfway through the meal, he pushed his chair back and hid in the library. About an hour later, Rhiannon peeked around the door, bringing with her the sounds from downstairs. "Care to join me?" Something was in her hands, but he couldn't see what.

Tyki dropped his book to his lap, "What for, pray tell?"

Rhiannon help up what was in her hands. A large basket covered by a blanket and two pillows. "A picnic dinner. Since you didn't finish yours. If we're quick about it, we can sneak out to the back."

Tyki smiled, stood, and walked over to his fiancee. Taking the basket from her hands, he held out an elbow which she rested her palms on. "Then let's go."

He led her down the stairs and out to the yard. They did as she suggested and walked around to the back yard. The lake was now visible with all the snow gone, and they raced to the shore, laying out the blankets and pillows, and began to set out the food. It was just leftovers from dinner, but Rhiannon had also packed a well aged bottle of wine and two stemless glasses.

"Here's to a good day's work," Tyki joked lightly while holding up his glass. Rhiannon smirked as she clinked her glass against his, taking a small sip after.

"So, what do you know about constellations?" Tyki snorted around his drink at the out of the blue question.

"What?

"I'm being serious." Rhiannon pouted, then her expression just as quickly changed to a smile, "How about I tell you the stories?" Tyki nodded with a smirk, and she slapped his arm, earning a chuckle. They didn't now how long they spent out there on that blanket, sipping a little more wine than they should have while Rhiannon pointed out various stars and recounted their Grecian and Celtic tales. They eventually fell asleep while in each others arms.

Still out next to the lake.

* * *

**New chapter! I did say this one would be a bit creepy, but hopefully the ending makes up for that. Also, Rhiannon now has a Tumblr! The URL is studs-lace-and-leather. Feel free to go ask her questions. Please leave a review!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray-man, nor do I own its characters!**


	31. Rude Awakening

_**...Chapter Thirty: Rude Awakening...**_

Sheril and the Earl were speaking with, or rather, _at_, Toraido the next morning when Road came barreling down the stairs in a panic, "FA~ATHER! I can't find Rhia again! And she's not in Tyki's room this time." Sheril again caught Road in his arms, and she wound her fragile arms around his neck.

"Oh, those two? I saw them go out to the lake last night." Sheril shrugged, "I guess they never came in. Shall we go find out?" He smiled at his adoptive daughter and she grinned back. The Earl was also smiling, while Toraido remained expressionless.

"Okay! What're we gonna do if we find them?" She hugged her father tighter and rested her head against his chest.

"That remains to be seen," Sheril replied, and the Earl chuckled. "Toraido, go fetch Fiidora and Maashiima, please." Toraido nodded silently and raced up the stairs, coming back moments later with the other two, still in their uniforms, as Sheril had yet to order new clothes for them. They were technically nobles now, and had to look the part. They were trailed by the twins and Allen, who were wondering what the excitement was about.

"Alright, all of you. Keep quiet until we get to the lake, just in case they're still asleep," said Sheril as he led the way to the dining room. All but the Earl followed. From there, he opened the doors to the ballroom, and then the French doors that led to the veranda. He walked with purpose past the blooming lavender, azaleas, and Jacaranda and almond trees.

_Where could they be? _Sheril thought,_ Somewhere by the lake... Ah, there they are! _Sheril motioned the group of Noah over to where he hid behind an olive tree. Road ran to hide with him while the others stepped behind juniper bushes.

And there laid their prey, on the Southernmost bank of the lake near the dock. Sheril nodded to the two, and the Noah moved forward. Tyki and Rhiannon were sound asleep in a tangle of two duvets, and didn't move a muscle when Sheril picked up one corner of the makeshift bed. Toraido, Maashiima, and Fiidora did the same while the twins, Road and Allen stepped away, sniggering.

Sheril, Toraido, Maashiima, and Fiidora lifted the sleeping couple, pausing when Tyki tried to roll over with a snort, then rolled back nearly on top of Rhiannon, who sleepily nudged him off as far as she could. When they were still again, the other four Noah began carrying them towards the water. Sheril lead the pack onto the dock, and once he reached the end mouthed _One... Two... Three._

At three, the couple was dropped into the still icy-cold waters of the lake. They came up seconds later, sputtering and spitting water. Allen, the twins, and Road fell over each other in a fit of laughter.

* * *

I gasped as I reached the surface of the water, my lungs screaming after inhaling a mouthful of water. Tyki was already swimming to shore, and was at least twenty feet away, the gap between us growing rapidly. Sheril was still snickering on the dock in front of me, and I started floundering in the chilly water.

"H-help!" I shouted as I nearly breathed in water again. "_I can't swim!_" Panicked, Tyki started to swim back to me, and I reached for the wood support of the moor. Sheril rushed to lean out to me, and I gripped his outstretched hand, bracing my other hand against the support.

And promptly pulled him into the water.

He came up quickly, shaking his head and coughing, his long hair flying in soaked clumps around him. I both saw and heard Tyki laughing as he started back to the shore. The lake wasn't very deep where we were, so I gulped in a big lungful of air and plunged down to the rocky bottom, pushing off towards the shore. I swam underwater until my knees started brushing against the rocks while my back broke the surface. I stood and walked the rest of the way to shore, Sheril close behind, and my velvet dress squelched with water. I looked around for Tyki, and saw him helping Fiidora and Maashiima fish the blankets and pillows out of the water.

"The blankets can be saved," Tyki called to us, "but the pillows will have to be thrown out." He smiled at me as I joined them in pulling out one of the two duvets.

I pouted, "And they were my favorites, too." My pout was turned to Sheril as he came up behind me, the twins, Allen, and Road still giggling themselves silly on the shore. "Think it's funny, do you?" I yelled.

"Tremendously!" Allen shouted back.

"Hee, hee!" Jasdero's grin was visible even from fifty feet away. I was infinitely glad he no longer had the lip rings and wire around his mouth, he looked so much better without it.

"Well, how about you help us?" I asked, exchanging a mischievous grin with Tyki. Allen shrugged and jogged down the dock and over to us. He smiled as he leaned down and grabbed a hold of the duvet. Tyki and I smiled at each other as we pushed him in, diving after him. When I came up, Tyki spit water in my face. "_Ew! _Ah, gross." I splashed him while treading water, "Why'd you do that?"

"Because I could," he said simply and splashed back. I was about to start a splash war when the Earl called from the trees.

"Rhiannon. Come with me, please." Not wanting to upset the patriarch, I clambered out of the water and followed him back to the house.

My skirts were heavy as I attempted to wring a little water out of them. "What's wrong, Earl?"

"Wrong?" He looked back to me, shocked, "Oh, nothing's wrong. I have a present for you!"

* * *

Tyki and Allen ran to catch up to Rhiannon and the Earl, slowing when they were side by side at the veranda. Rhiannon hung back a few steps to walk with them.

"What's going on?" Allen asked, slightly out of breath.

"Apparently he has a present for me," Rhiannon whispered back, shrugging in confusion. Tyki and Allen shared a glance but followed Rhiannon and the Earl nonetheless. They were greeted by the sight of Maitora holding a black staff in the ballroom. "What's this?" Rhiannon canted her head to the side confusedly.

"It's a channel for Dark Matter, so you can learn to control it better." At the mention of Dark Matter, Rhiannon flushed and stared at her feet. "Ah, don't worry my dear~." The Earl laid a hand on her shoulder, the other holding her chin to tip her head up. Rhiannon reluctantly met his eyes, the blush still in place, "The Noah of Life never was very good at controlling Dark Matter."

"Noah of Life?" Rhiannon asked in wonder. The Earl smiled and nodded.

"That's your Memory. Now go change into your uniform."

"O-okay?" She backed away and ran out to the entryway, presumably up to her room.

"You two, go change as well." Allen and Tyki nodded and left as well, Allen rather reluctantly. They both practically jumped into their Noah uniforms, and met Rhiannon on the stairs. Grinning, the three raced each other down the stairs, skidding to a stop at the bottom when they saw Dietrich, Viktor, Ianto, and Dante in the foyer, each holding some type of weapon. The Earl and Maitora walked in, Maitora still holding the staff. Rhiannon reached out for it, and he handed it over without question.

"So, I just focus my energy into it?" Rhiannon asked with a raised brow, and the Earl nodded silently. She closed her eyes and held the staff parallel to the ground. For a second, nothing happened, then black and purple light flared around the ends.

* * *

**Two chapters in one day. Look at me spoiling you! Please leave a review!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to, own D. Gray-man or its characters.**


	32. Concentration

_**...Chapter Thirty-One: Concentration...**_

My eyes went wide at the Dark Matter pooling around the ends of the stave. It responded to my thoughts; when I thought it could be used as a spear the end morphed into just that. When I concentrated further, it shifted shape to be a war hammer. "H-how?" I asked no one in particular.

"It was created to respond to _you,_ and you alone. Whatever you are thinking at the time, this staff will become, offensive or not." I stared blank-faced at the Earl as he spoke, and the Dark Matter flickered back to an indistinguishable blob. "Simply focus your mind as you would to transform and the Dark Matter will answer, as you just saw." He waved to the butt of the stave, and it flared to life when I concentrated again.

"Amazing," Tyki mumbled behind me.

"However," all eyes were back on the Earl. He stood with his hands behind his back, and his expression was unusually stern. "This will require practice. You must build up your level of concentration and be able to fight while distraction is all around. This _will not _be an easy task." I nodded silently, eyes wide. _Why wasn't he being his normal, goofy self? What happened to the Earl I know?_

"Is that why they're here?" Allen asked, motioning to the Fae, to which the Earl nodded. I could swear I heard Tyki growl behind me as Dietrich moved to stand next to me. I turned and glared at him, then trained my expression to one of professional detachment to regard Dietrich.

"We're merely here to help," he said, his voice cold.

"Is that so?" I asked, still deadpan.

* * *

Tyki glowered at Dietrich's retreating back as he and Rhiannon walked side by side to the back yard. The Fae trailed behind them, and he, Allen, and the Earl followed. The Clan watched from the veranda, and Tyki could hear Road giggling to Lulu Bell about something. Probably his expression as he watched Rhiannon and Dietrich begin circling one another. Rhiannon twirled the stave; Dietrich carried a broadsword. He swung the sword in a few testing swipes, all aimed at Rhiannon. She rolled her eyes and continued to circle him.

At an unknown signal, both burst forward with a spray of dirt and a flare of purple. Dietrich swiped up; Rhiannon ducked down, then swung the stave at his ankles. Dietrich jumped over it, turned and brought his sword down on the stave, holding it to the ground. Rhiannon growled and tried to twist him away, but was unsuccessful.

"Consider this karma, Ree," Dietrich smirked.

"For what?" she snarled back, jaw tight and brows pulling together.

He whipped around in a high roundhouse kick, hitting her jaw and sending her flying. She landed flat on her back, stave still in hand, ten feet away. Dietrich slowly and deliberately stalked over to where she lay, smirk still in place and spreading wider with each step. Rhiannon coughed from pain and stared up at Dietrich as he rested the tip of his blade against her throat.

"For embarrassing your superior officer," he ground out, smirk falling to a grimace.

"Is that so?" Rhiannon asked, voice strained as she struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes darted to his feet, and just as he raised his left to take another step, she swiped the stave at his right ankle, knocking him off balance long enough for her to scramble to her feet. Breath heaving, she gripped her staff in both hands and bent her knees to a fight or flight stance.

Evidently, she chose fight, and the end of the staff flared again, morphing into a spear. The edges still steamed purple, but the majority of it glimmered black and sharp. Rhiannon plunged the sharp end forward, and Dietrich blocked it on compulsion. It was Rhiannon's turn to smile as she swung the butt of the spear up to connect with his chin, and he stumbled back shaking his head. She took advantage of his momentary confusion and smacked him again, this time in the chest.

He fell back on his bottom with a grunt, and she thrust the spear forward. He flinched, closing his eyes and waiting for a blow that never landed. Rhiannon stood, panting and sweating, her hands quivering as she held the spear just a few inches from his Adam's apple. His sword fell with a clatter against the flagstones.

The Dark Matter flickered away as she sighed, and Rhiannon backed away haltingly, stave still held parallel to the ground as she straightened again. Once she was several yards away, she lowered it and nodded politely to Dietrich. He shakily stood and nodded back, picking up his sword with a sharp scrape and a few sparks. _There must be flint in the paving, _Tyki thought.

A faint clapping on the veranda drew the eyes of the Fae Generals, Tyki, Allen, and Rhiannon. The Earl stood at the railing, smiling maniacally at the group. Tyki felt his heart falter for a few seconds; the only other time he had seen that smile was when the Earl command the Noah or an Akuma to kill someone.

Sometimes, Tyki really wished he had the powers of Wisely.

* * *

I allowed Dietrich to pass me on his way to the veranda, my heart thudding painfully in my chest and my hands shaking in fear. I turned to watch him, lest he strike at my back while I wasn't paying attention. Ianto, also carrying a spear, took his place, twirling it much like I did earlier. Before I could blink, flames spouted from the blade and it was rushing at my stomach. I bent nearly double as the flames danced above my face, and spiraled out of the way as he swung the butt at me.

I struck back, and flame combined with Dark Matter as our blades met. He stepped closer, then shoved back, and I was forced to back up several steps to avoid falling again. Stable again, I jabbed the spear up at his face, which he ducked under easily. _Perfect, _I thought, and slammed the blunt end down on his foot as Ianto swung again. My spear held perpendicular to the ground and his parallel, we stood inches apart as he grimaced in pain.

"Done yet?" I asked, my voice wavering. He nodded, and I released his foot. Ianto backed away a few steps, we both bowed, and then shook hands. He smiled impishly, held out his left elbow, and I switched the now dormant stave to my left to rest my right on his arm. "Good show, Lady Dragomir," he said, sarcasm hiding in his tone. I gave him a searching glance, but he turned and began to lead me to the veranda. Tyki gave me a similar glance, to which I could only shrug.

On the porch, the Clan of Noah clapped and cheered as we neared. Sheril clapped me on the shoulder, and Road hugged me. Ianto lowered his arm, and I stepped away from him to flop down in a wicker chair, resting the staff against the railing behind it. Tyki and Allen sat on either side of me, and I held out my hands for them as I attempted to steady my breath.

"That was wonderful, my dear," the Earl said, and I nodded with a small smile. "Well, shall we all go in to lunch?" he asked, as if he hadn't just pitted me against my friends. I knew Ianto wouldn't actually hurt me, but Dietrich I was starting to wonder about.

"We'll be there in a minute, my Lord," Tyki answered for me, and I saw Allen nod from my peripheral. My eyes narrowed and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, but stayed there after Tyki tightened his grip on my hand and Allen gave me a pleading look. I inhaled through my nose, held it for five seconds, then exhaled through my mouth. After this, my breath was steady and the others were gone, leaving me and the two men on the veranda. I feared that I already knew their question.

"We've been wondering," Allen started. I flinched at his choice of words.

"As of late, it's become evident that your relationship with Dietrich is getting worse," Tyki said, and I pulled my hands away to hide my flushing face.

"What exactly happened between you two?" Allen finished, and I groaned, shaking my head.

"Please tell us?" Tyki asked, rubbing my back. I shivered as his hand came into contact with my bare skin.

"Well..." I began, lowering my hands and taking a steadying breath. Tyki and Allen nodded. "We used to be best friends..."

"Yeah? And?" Allen asked.

"He was the older brother I always wanted. Caring, attentive, an exceptional fighter..." My voice stuck in my throat, and I gagged on the words. Tyki nodded again, eyes pleading for an answer. I hid my face in my hands again and slumped down, shaking from embarrassment. "Our parents put us into an arranged marriage."

* * *

**I'm gonna just leave that there for y'all. So sorry for not updating in month.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to, own D. Gray-man or its characters.**


	33. Friends Forever?

_**...Chapter Thirty-Two: Friends Forever?**_

The silence surrounding the three Noah was suffocating. Allen looked pale as a freshly starched sheet, and Tyki was quite obviously furious. Rhiannon still hid her face in her hands, and seemed to have no intention of coming up any time soon. It wasn't until Lenalee stepped back out onto the veranda, a bright smile gracing her lips and a laugh in her eyes, that time felt like it began to move again.

"Hey you three, you're gonna miss lunch!" It was only then that she noticed the tense atmosphere she had traipsed into. "Uh, Allen? You look like you've seen a gho-"

_"Arranged marriage?! _With _Dietrich?_" Tyki bellowed, causing the few birds who had landed in the rose bushes to fly away with startled calls. Lenalee, now knowing what was really going on, bit her lips and slowly backed away, into the safety of the manor. Tyki, still glowering, stood up and started for the dining hall as well, but Rhiannon stood and caught his arm.

"If you're planning on interrogating him, just don't." Her tone was uncharacteristically serious, and her expression was one of worry. For which man, Tyki and Allen didn't know. It was possible it was for both.

Tyki wanted to see how far he could press her patience, however. "And why can't I? You were so close before, I want to know what happened to make him treat you like this."

Rhiannon's worry visibly shifted to annoyance, "Any question you have for him you can ask me, and not worry about being punched."

"She has a good point..." Allen muttered, sinking lower in his chair when Tyki and Rhiannon turned to glare at him. Holding his hands up in defense, he continued, "But you both need to stop arguing. I'm going inside to find food, so play nice." That said, he patted the arms of his chair once, stood, and walked through the open door with his head lowered to avoid meeting either of the fighting couple's gazes.

Once the youngest Noah was safely away from Tyki and Rhiannon, she pulled Tyki back to the deck chairs to sit down. "I guess we never had the ugly 'exes conversation', but now is better than never. Yes, we were engaged," she began, still holding Tyki's arm but not meeting his eyes, instead staring at her knees.

"And you never told me why?" he demanded, glare gradually lessening.

Rhiannon sighed in defeat, finally meeting Tyki's gaze. "Because the relationship broke off on very bad terms. I was hosting a ball at my parent's estate in Avalon, and I found him and my best friend kissing in my bed. I told his parents, and they agreed to call off the wedding, three weeks before it would take place. I was fifteen."

Stunned, Tyki pulled his arm free from Rhiannon's grasp and flopped back against the chair. "So he cheated on you? With your _best friend?_"

She sighed again, this time in vague annoyance. "That he did. Her name was Maya Borgia."

"As in Councilman Borgia's daughter?" Tyki asked, raising a brow.

"The very one," she replied, nodding her head gravely. Sighing one last time, she stood and held her hand out, which Tyki stared at for a moment in an awkward silence. "We really should go eat, my head is starting to hurt."

Rolling his eyes, Tyki took the offered hand and pulled himself up, then wrapped his arm around his fiancee's shoulders. "Then let's." He smiled, somewhat hesitant, and began to lead her inside.

* * *

Lunch passed quickly, and I barely tasted the food. The entire meal, Tyki and Dietrich glared at each other whenever one of them would attempt to speak to me, but I ignored every new topic, instead picking at the food on my plate. Even though it had only been an hour and a half since the meal, I couldn't remember what it was I had eaten.

Wanting to avoid any and all contact with either Tyki or Dietrich, or anyone else for that matter, I had locked myself in my room after the meal to read in peace. I had decided to compare the inconsistencies between the human's story of Arthur and the Fae tale.

I was just about to start marking both texts when a hesitant hand rapped on my door. I was getting ready to yell at them to go away when Road called through the door. "Please come out, Rhia. My mother's almost back..."

_Wait, Tricia?_ "When will she get here?" I asked, placing my pen down, wanting to calculate the time I had to get ready.

"An hour at most," came the faint reply. So, not enough time to take a bath, my hair wouldn't dry in time.

Placing my book down, I strode to the door, opening it as Road began to walk away. "Alright, sweetie. Want to do my hair again?" The change in her expression was instantaneous, and she scampered into the room. She was already dressed up in a bell-shaped dress of the palest lavender.

"Can I pick your dress, too?!" she asked, clasping her hands together with her lips sticking out in a cute pout. I laughed and nodded, and her pout disappeared, replaced with a toothy grin. She started giggling as she looked through my closet. I sat at my vanity as she did so, pulling the boar hair brush through my hair. I glanced back when she took the brush from my hands, seeing a gown laid out on my bed.

I laughed again when she repositioned my head with her tiny hands, making me face the mirror again. Her work was quick and tidy, and she held up a hand mirror when she was done to show me the delicate waterfall braid she had done, leaving my hair mostly down. Standing carefully to avoid pulling my hair on the ornate chair, I walked to the bed, slipping off my uniform as I got closer. The gown, made of a medium weight pale blue cotton and white chiffon, it was one of my dresses from Avalon. Which meant no padding and a corset built into the bodice.

Not that I would argue with either. I wasn't a big fan of layers, so wearing a corset and a heavy gown was something I avoided whenever I could. Now that it was Spring, that was easier to do. Granted, a lot of my Fae made gowns were a bit more low cut than socially acceptable at this point in time, but I didn't really care. I pulled the gown over my head, turning around again for Road to help tie the laces, and I fiddled with the cowl neckline as she tugged them tight.

Once the laces were secured, I held out my hand out to the waif-like Noah, which she took with a bright grin. She skipped alongside me as we went to the foyer, where the rest of the Kamelot and Mikk family stood waiting.

Road and I had apparently taken longer than I thought, because the door opened soon after we joined them, and in walked the woman from the painting. She was even more frail looking in person, but seemed friendlier than any of the others. I still was uneasy having a human be part of the family, but I understood the importance of marrying a noble of another nation to calm both sides. The woman, despite her pale features, was clearly Spanish.

She first hugged Sheril, then Road, and lastly the Earl. The Earl directed her over to me, and I prepared to embrace her. As she neared my nose began to itch in a familiar way, and I held up a hand for her to stay back. Tricia did, even though she looked confused and hurt. She seemed to understand a second later, when my sneeze echoed through the house. It was soon followed by another, and another.

Once my attack had passed, I turned back to her with bleary eyes, "Do you, by any chance, have a dog?"

"Yes," her voice, just like the rest of her, was faint, ''he's outside."

I sneezed again, this time rocking forward slightly. Tyki grabbed my arm to steady me. "I apologize, but I'm allergic." The Noah looked horrified, and I forced a smile as I jogged out to the front porch. There, I almost tripped over said fluffy white dog and sneezed again, this one making me land on my butt. I pulled myself up and picked up the edges of my skirt, running through the yard to the lake, where I leaned against a tree.

_It just had to be a dog... It couldn't even be some weird bird, it just **had **to be a dog!_

* * *

**I am so very, very sorry this took so long. I got caught up in my other stories, and if you could give them a read, I'd be eternally thankful**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to own D. Gray-man or its characters. I only own my OCs and the plot.**


	34. Dancing With A Wolf

**_...Chapter Thirty-Three: Dancing With A Wolf..._**

I didn't know how long I stayed there, sneezing my brains out against a tree. Eventually though, I felt horrible for taking off on Tricia like that, and stumbled back to the manor, my eyes streaming and nose burning. Tyki seemed relieved to see me, but didn't dare to touch me. Nor did anyone else. I didn't know whose distance hurt more. Finally I found Tricia, and held out my hand to her with a somewhat forced smile, my eyes still bleary. She understandably was hesitant, but took my hand in hers nonetheless, and when she did, I curtsied.

"Truly a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kamelot. I hope to get to know you much better in the coming months," I said, voice faint to hide the scratching of my throat.

She nodded politely, her lips quirking up into a smile as I rose again. "I'm sure we have much to talk about. Like your upcoming wedding?"

Even though she was sickly, I could tell she had a sense of humor. I grinned before saying, "That may be true, but _someone_ has yet to settle on a date..."

Said someone, Tyki, took my hand from Tricia's, pulling me away to our well known special room, the library. Even the Bookman didn't dare bother us while we were there, and the Earl allowed us to be alone so long as the door was open. As we sat in our designated chairs, he poked my side, earning a squeak. I glared until he spoke. "Seems you get along perfectly, despite the... Dog... Issue. Why did that never come up before?" he asked with a raised brow.

I shrugged, opening a book of Egyptian myths, then crinkling my nose and laying it back down on the table when the first one was about Isis. Dreadful woman. "It never came up. Your cleaning staff must be top notch, because I never found a single hair..."

He snorted, following the book with a curious gaze. "Did you expect anything less?"

"Well-" I stopped myself, reconsidering what I'd been planning on saying. "Not really," I replied dumbly.

He again poked me, earning a squeak again, as well as another glare. "Tell the truth, _meu amor,_ we promised to do so."

Sighing, I said, "Okay, _okay_... I just didn't expect the Noah to have a big, fluffy dog, is all. You don't seem to be the people..." I cut myself off when I heard a snort. Biting my lip, I glanced over as I picked up another book to see Tyki covering his mouth as he snickered. "Something _funny?_" I asked, eyes narrowing.

"No, nope, nothing," he said, face going blank at the drop of a pin. Tyki opened his book, as if the conversation was done and over with. "So, back to the wedding date."

"Uh-huh..." I muttered, opening a new book without even looking at what it was, my eyes staying on my fiance. "I'm thinking a winter wedding, maybe next New Years Eve, but that's probably just me."

"A wonderful idea, that. But I believe my idea is better." He didn't look at me while he spoke, his eyes skimming the page before him.

My brow rose, and again my book was laid back on the table, my mouth set in a thin line. "Is that so? And what, pray tell, where you thinking?"

He remained silent for another few moments, my brow raising further as he did. Then, my expression went blank, stunned, when he said, "I was thinking we have it the anniversary of the day you awakened. The day you became one of the family, in both senses of the word."

I floundered for words for a minute, then blurted, "Never knew you to be a romantic, Joido."

His gaze snapped up, eyes carrying the faintest gold tinge as he again spoke, "And never knew you to be at a loss, Seraphiel."

* * *

Tyki's eyes went wide as he spoke, but it wasn't him. Somehow, his inner Noah had spoken to Rhiannon's, and it confused the hell out of them both. She gaped at him, and he simply stared back. The silence was deafening. But not nearly as much so as the twins' voices as the barreled past the library, presumably chasing their chicken. The couple flinched and glanced to each other one last time, standing and poking their heads out of the library. The only thing the two saw was Jasdero's hair whipping around the corner to the stairwell.

Backing away, Tyki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Oookay then."

"I don't even want to know," replied Rhiannon, holding up her hands in defeat.

"I don't think anyone does with those two," Tyki replied, and Rhiannon shrugged, a faint grin coloring her features. "What?" he asked, and her grin just grew as she backed away. He stepped closer, a smile spreading on his cheeks as well. "I thought we said no secrets?" She shook her head and backed away again. He simply stepped closer taking three steps instead of one, a predatory glint in his eyes. Rhiannon's eyes widened and her backing away continued until her back hit a bookcase. Tyki took that last step nearer, placing his hands on either side of her head. "Now will you tell me?"

She just shook her head, and one of Tyki's hands lowered to her abdomen, his finger tracing a line along her bodice. She shivered and her eyes followed his finger along her stomach. "_Now_ will you tell me?" She shook her head again, and his fingers moved to trace a line up and down her spine, his voice dropping to a husky tone. _"Now will you tell me?"_ She leaned into his touch, but again, shook her head. Tyki leaned forward, pecking her lips with his own.

Rhiannon gasped when he pulled away, her eyes wider than ever. "Still not telling..." Tyki grinned, his hand again moving to her side, his finger tickling along her side as she began to giggle, sliding down the case to the floor. "S-stop, hahaha!" she laughed. But the torture continued. Until Rhiannon grabbed his hands, her gaze meeting his with panic. "Do you smell something burning?"

He sniffed, and his own expression turned to one of fear as he realized that, indeed, something was burning. And crackling. And the sound was drawing closer. Jumping up, the pair dashed down the stairs and then outside, both clinging to the other when they saw the flames licking at the treeline, sparks jumping to the house. Standing in front of them was a now familiar redhead.

Raphael.

"What business have you here!?" Rhiannon demanded, her face set in rage.

Raphael tossed a blade from hand to hand, staring at the Noah before him as if the fire didn't exist, wasn't licking at his hair and skin. "Alexander had a message, for your ears only, but...I can see you're busy. I will take my leave of this place." He waved amicably, as if he hadn't set their property ablaze, a faint yet sadistic smile on his lips. "Good day." He turned, right as Rhiannon broke out of Tyki's hold and dashed forward, knocking the Dark Fae to the ground.

And then he dissolved into a green mist.

She snapped up, whipping around in search of him, but he did not reappear. Rhia began to walk back to her fiance, her mouth set into a thin line, Tyki stepping forward to meet her. right as the black blade Raphael had been playing with shot out of the trees and into Rhia's back. She began to fall, Tyki racing forward with a shout to catch her. This caught the attention of the other Noah, and they shot to the windows in time to see Tyki's head tip back as he screamed at the sky.

Even from this distance, they could see Rhiannon's eyes open. Blank and lifeless.

* * *

**_And this is the last chapter of SRCS. But worry not! I wouldn't kill Rhiannon quite yet. This will be continued in a new story, titled A_****_wak_****_enings. Look forward to it~!_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to, own DGM or it's characters._**


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